ESB Miguel Keith Drills with Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, Royal New Zealand Air Force in East China Sea

The Lewis B. Puller-class expeditionary mobile base USS Miguel Keith (ESB 5) steams in the Gulf of Thailand, Mar. 1, 2024, during Exercise Cobra Gold 2024. U.S. Navy Photo

Expeditionary sea base USS Miguel Keith(ESB-5) carried out trilateral drills with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and the Royal New Zealand Air Force in the East China Sea earlier this week. 

Destroyer JS Akizuki(DD-115) and a Royal New Zealand Air Force P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft performed the drills for...

https://news.usni.org/2024/05/15/esb-miguel-keith-drills-with-japan-maritime-self-defense-force-royal-new-zealand-air-force-in-east-china-sea

Destroyer USS Halsey Sails Through Taiwan Strait

Seaman Gary Beckles, from Laurel, Maryland, stands port lookout aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Halsey (DDG 97) during routine underway operations while transiting through the Taiwan Strait, May 8. U.S. Navy Photo

Destroyer USS Halsey (DDG-97) performed a Taiwan Strait transit on Wednesday, U.S. 7th Fleet announced.

“The ship transited through a corridor in the Strait that is beyond the territorial sea of any coastal State.” U.S. 7th Fleet said in a statement.
Halsey‘...

https://news.usni.org/2024/05/08/destroyer-uss-halsey-sails-through-taiwan-strait

Acting Commanders Set to Take Charge of Naval Academy, Naval Air Forces and NAVSEA

(l to r) Rear Adm. Fred Kacher, Rear Adm. George Wikoff and Rear Adm. Tom Anderson

Temporary leaders for the Naval Academy, Naval Air Forces and Naval Sea Systems Command are set to step into acting roles between now and Sept. 7, as an ongoing hold on confirming senior military nominations continues, USNI News has learned.

Rear Adm. Fred Kacher will start next week as the superintendent of the Naval Academy after Vice Adm. Sean Buck prepares to retire, a USNA official confirmed to USNI News....

https://news.usni.org/2023/08/25/acting-commanders-set-to-take-charge-of-naval-academy-naval-air-forces-and-navsea

Report to Congress on South China Sea Disputes

The following is the Aug. 21, 2023, Congressional Research Service report, China Primer: South China Sea Disputes.

From the report

Multiple Asian governments assert sovereignty over rocks, reefs, and other geographic features in the heavily trafficked South China Sea (SCS), with the People’s Republic of China (PRC or China) arguably making the most assertive claims. The United States makes no territorial claim in the SCS and takes no position on sovereignty over any of the geographic features in...

https://news.usni.org/2023/08/22/report-to-congress-on-south-china-sea-disputes

U.S. 7th Fleet Denies Destroyer was Expelled from South China Sea Island Chain

Guided-missile destroyer USS Milius (DDG-69) steams alongside the Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship USNS Charles Drew (T-AKE-10) during an underway replenishment while operating in the Philippine Sea, March 16. US Navy Photo

VA – The Navy denied that an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile illegally entered China’s maritime territory and was chased off by People’s Liberation Army forces, contradicting claims by China’s Southern Theatre Command.

China claimed early Thursday morning that USS Milius...

https://news.usni.org/2023/03/23/u-s-7th-fleet-denies-destroyer-was-expelled-from-south-china-sea-island-chain

7th Fleet Commander Thomas Nominated to Serve as Director of Naval Intelligence

Vice Adm. Karl Thomas, commander, U.S. 7th Fleet, speaks to the crew of mine countermeasures ship USS Pioneer (MCM-9) over the ship’s 1MC during a tour, June 9, 2022. US Navy Photo

Current U.S. 7th Fleet commander Vice Adm. Karl Thomas as the next deputy chief of naval operations for information warfare (OPNAV N2/N6) and director of naval intelligence, the Pentagon announced Wednesday.

Vice Adm. Karl Thomas was also nominated for reappointment to vice admiral, according to the Pentagon flag...

https://news.usni.org/2023/03/08/7th-fleet-commander-thomas-nominated-to-serve-as-director-of-naval-intelligence

Former 7th Fleet Logistics Chief Sentenced to 30-Months in ‘Fat Leonard’ Bribery Case 

Edward J. Schwartz United States Courthouse in San Diego, Calif.

Six years after pleading guilty and admitting he took “lavish” bribes from a foreign defense contractor, a retired Navy captain was sentenced Thursday to 30 months in federal prison, U.S. prosecutors in San Diego, Calif., announced this week.

Capt. Jesus Vasquez Cantu, 64, is the latest former U.S. 7th Fleet official to be sentenced for conspiracy to commit bribery as part of the long-running corruption and bribery investigation...

https://news.usni.org/2023/02/25/former-7th-fleet-logistics-chief-sentenced-to-30-months-in-fat-leonard-bribery-case

Coast Guard Moving Cutter to Pacific as Regional Missions Expand

The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Bear, a 270 foot, medium endurance cutter, arrives in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to deliver supplies, Oct. 9, 2017. The supplies included donations collected by Customs and Border Patrol members. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)

The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Bear, a 270 foot, medium endurance cutter, arrives in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to deliver supplies, Oct. 9, 2017. US Coast Guard Photo

SAN DIEGO – Driven by greater demand for its partnerships and presence in the Indo-Pacific region, the U.S. Coast Guard is growing its operational presence in the vast region that’s unsettled by continuing incursions from China’s naval militia and fishing fleet, the Pacific Area commander told an audience today.

Part of that plan...

https://news.usni.org/2023/02/15/coast-guard-moving-cutter-to-pacific-as-regional-missions-expand

Former Navy Captain Sentenced to 30-Months Following Guilty Plea in ‘Fat Leonard’ Case

Then Cmdr. David Haas. US Navy Photo

A former U.S. 7th Fleet operations officer was sentenced Thursday to 30 months in federal prison – two years after pleading guilty – for taking bribes in exchange for steering lucrative contracts to a foreign defense contractor.

Retired Navy Capt. David W. Haas, 54, of Kailua, Hawaii, originally faced a longer prison time if convicted of eight counts in an August 2018 federal indictment into the wide corruption and bribery scandal surrounding Leonard Glenn...

https://news.usni.org/2023/02/03/former-navy-captain-sentenced-to-30-months-in-fat-leonard-following-guilty-plea