US Navy ships sail through Taiwan Strait
Two US Navy ships sailed through the Taiwan Strait on 28 November, the third such operation this year and one that is sure to anger China.
Lieutenant Rachel McMarr, a spokeswoman for the US Pacific Fleet, said the destroyer USS Stockdale and oiler USNS Pecos sailed through the strait in a ‘routine’ transit.
‘The ships' transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the US commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific,’ McMarr said in a statement.
‘The US Navy will continue to fly, sail and operate anywhere international law allows.’
Beijing protested after the US Navy sailed two warships through the Taiwan Strait on 22 October, characterizing the move as an affront to its sovereignty.
China still sees Taiwan as part of its territory to be reunified, despite the two sides being ruled separately since the end of a civil war on the mainland in 1949.
A US official told AFP that Chinese ships had asserted a ‘presence’ during 28 November’s sailing, but all interactions between the two navies were ‘safe and professional.’
More from Naval Warfare
-
US Navy takes delivery of New Jersey SSN
The USN’s Virginia-class SSNs are replacing the old Los Angeles-class SSNs. The Virginia-class SSNs are fitted with the latest sensors and weapons and around 48 submarines are planned, with a total of 38 currently ordered.
-
VARD and Fincantieri launch Resilience ship family to target Norway’s standardised vessel needs
VARD and Fincantieri’s announcement to launch the VARD Resilience series came only weeks after Norway’s new long-term 2025–36 defence plan.
-
BMT and DNV partner to meet Australia’s heavy landing craft requirement
Under Project Land 8710 Phase 2, Australia has been seeking to acquire an undisclosed number of Littoral Manoeuvre Vessels to replace the Balikpapan-class. The programme has an estimated value of AU$1.4 billion (US$910 million), with IOC slated for 2032.
-
Babcock to take over upkeep of Royal Navy Type-23 frigates
The Royal Navy’s Type-23 Duke-class frigates for the UK Royal Navy were designed as anti-submarine warfare (ASW) ships but now have a multi-role function. Of the 16 Type 23s built, 12 remain in service with the Royal Navy and will be replaced by the Type-26 frigates before 2035.
-
Austal completes autonomy trials with former Royal Australian Navy patrol boat
The work took place under the Patrol Boat Autonomy Trial (PBAT), which has been a collaboration between Austal, Greenroom Robotics, the Trusted Autonomous Systems Defence Cooperative Research Centre and the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) Warfare Innovation Navy Branch.
-
Singapore launches fourth and final Type 218SG submarine
The era of southeast Asian submarine modernisation has been in full swing fuelled by growing tensions in the South China Sea.