USS Ronald Reagan Conducts Wargames With Japan, South Korea in East China Sea
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by Kris Osborn, President, Center for Military Modernization
The US Navy conducted tri-lateral training and war preparations with Japan and South Korea in the East China Sea as part of a collective effort to demonstrate a solid deterrence posture in the region, a series of maneuvers which appear to have generated new nuclear threats from North Korea.
Following a port visit to South Korea, the USS Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group joined warships from Korea and the Japanese Maritime Self Defense force for wargaming training and operations.
“The US Navy’s Ronald Reagan carrier strike group joined the Republic of Korea Navy’s Sejong the Great-class destroyer ROKS Yulgok Yi I (DDG 992) and the first-in-class fast-combat support ship ROKS Cheonji (AOE 57), as well as Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force helicopter destroyer JS Hyuga (DDH 181),” a US Navy essay said.
US Navy, Japan, South Korea Fleets Unite
Neither Japan or Korea have aircraft carriers or large fleets of warships, yet their regional presence and interest in deterring China continues to offer windows of opportunity for collaboration with a forward-operating US Navy.
The Trilateral exercises in the East China Sea followed a critical strategy meeting between US Navy 7th Fleet Commander Vice Adm. Karl Thomas, Republic of Korea Fleet Commander, Vice Adm. Kim Myung-soo and Vice Adm. Saito Akira, Commander,Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces
