US Navy's Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group enters South China Sea

US Navy’s Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group entered the South China Sea on June 14 for the first time under its 2021 deployment as part of the US Navy’s routine mission in the Indo-Pacific, the US Navy said Monday. The carrier strike group includes US Navy's only forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) and the embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, staffs of Task Force 70 and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Shiloh (CG 67), and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Halsey (DDG 97).conducting maritime security operations. 

[An F/A-18F Super Hornet attached to the Diamondbacks of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 102 lands on the flight deck of the US Navy. Credit: US Navy]

While in the South China Sea, the USS Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group will perform flight operations with fixed and rotary-wing aircraft, maritime strike exercises, and coordinated tactical training between surface and air units. The strike group is committed to upholding US security agreements with regional allies and partners, and demonstrating the capability of forward-deployed naval forces to quickly respond to any contingency throughout the region, the US Naval forces said.

"The South China Sea is pivotal to the free flow of commerce that fuels the economies of those nations committed to international law and rules-based order,” Rear Adm. Will Pennington, commander, Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group said in an official press release on June 14.

“It is both a privilege and a pleasure to work alongside our allies, partners, and joint service teammates to provide full-spectrum support to key maritime commons and ensure all nations continue to benefit from a free and open Indo-Pacific region.”

[An F/A-18E launches from USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) Credit: US Navy]

Throughout their deployment, the United States naval forces demonstrate their commitment to the rights, freedoms, and lawful use of the seas and maintaining open access to the international commons. Ronald Reagan and accompanying military units ensure cooperation alongside the Indo-Pacific allies and partner naval forces in promoting “regional stability,” building high-end warfighting readiness through air defense, anti-submarine warfare, maritime strike, and force protection exercises. 

Senior Chief Operations Specialist Michael Ojeda, Assistant Operations, DESRON 15 said, “Integrating with other countries to conduct surface and undersea surveillance in support of our strike group operations serves to highlight that our allies reinforce our strategy in the Indo-Pacific region and around the world.”

[USS Curtis Wilbur and Australian Navy's HMAS Ballarat. Credit: US Navy]

US-Australia bilateral operation

Recently, the United States guided-missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54) operated with Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Anzac-class frigate HMAS Ballarat (FFH 155) in South China Sea, between June 6 and 11. Wilbur and Ballarat demonstrated the Navy’s commitment to preserving “international order” in the South China Sea during the US and Royal Australian Navy’s week-long bilateral operations. The warships conducted cooperative operations with maneuvering drills and a replenishment-at-sea with USNS Big Horn (T-AO 198). They also conducted cross-deck helicopter operations, join live-fire gunnery exercises, and joint maritime operations to strengthen interoperability in the Navy.