US warship cruises disputed sea in Philippine war games
A US warship laden with hi-tech fighter planes took centre stage at key war games in the Philippines on 11 April, brandishing military might as fresh tensions bubble in the contentious South China Sea.
The amphibious assault ship USS Wasp, with at least 10 F-35B stealth jets on deck, stood guard as amphibious tanks rolled onto a Philippine beach located a short sail from islands also claimed by China.
The vessel was in the area for long-running US-Philippine military drills, which come as Manila pushes back against the recent presence of hundreds of Chinese ships near its Pag-asa (Thitu) island.
‘We can't disclose the official movements of the USS Wasp for security reasons, but they have been operating in the South China Sea region... as part of the exercise,’ US spokeswoman Second Lieutenant Tori Sharpe told reporters.
President Rodrigo Duterte had largely set aside the once-tense dispute over China's expansive claims to the resource-rich waterway, but told Beijing last week to back off over the ‘swarming’ Chinese boats. The Philippines called the boats' presence "illegal" and Duterte threatened China with possible military action if it touches the island.
China claims most of the sea, including waters and islands close to the shores of its neighbours. It has built artificial islands and military installations that the US warned could curtail right of passage by non-Chinese vessels. The Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam have also all staked claims to various islands and reefs in the sea that is thought to have rich petroleum reserves deep beneath its waters.
The Wasp's participation in the exercises represents ‘an increase in military capability committed to a free and open Indo-Pacific region,’ the US navy said in a press release on its arrival last week.
The two-week Balikatan (Shoulder-to-shoulder) exercises, which opened April 1, include some 4,000 Philippine, 3,500 American, and 50 Australian troops.
Duterte had threatened to quit the drills as part of his pivot away from former colonial master the US and toward China, but they have carried on after being toned down for a few years. As Duterte has adopted a friendlier stance with China, the US has moved to shore up its ties with Manila and assert its presence in the South China Sea.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pledged in March to come to the Philippines' defence in case of an ‘armed attack’ in the sea, a clear assurance Philippines leaders had long sought.
On 11 April a spokesman from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs re-asserted China's claim to the island chain that includes Pag-asa, and said they had ‘consistently advocated the settlement of disputes in the South China Sea through negotiations with countries directly involved.’ The spokesman added that China-Philippine relations had ‘undergone transformation, consolidation, improvement, and entered comprehensive strategic cooperative relations.’
Duterte has been criticised at home as being too eager to grow ties with Beijing, and giving up too much leverage on the South China Sea issue.
China has been reserved in its comments regarding Manila's recent uptick in assertiveness over the Pag-asa island, saying that it was working with the Philippines and looking into the reports regarding Chinese ships.
More from Naval Warfare
-
DSEI 2025: Red Cat expands into USV production with focus on combat-proven technology
At DSEI 2025, Red Cat outlines its expansion from UAVs into uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), positioning itself as a multi-domain defence provider spanning land, sea, and air.
-
Anduril Australia wins A$1.7 billion Ghost Shark XL-AUV contract
The vessels are expected to deliver a major boost to Australia’s undersea warfare capabilities, with production set to start immediately.
-
Royal Canadian Navy will start operating class 2 UAVs in 2028
Acquired under Canada’s Department of National Defence ISTAR UAS project, the drones will be deployed from the Halifax-class frigates.
-
US Navy prepares next step of the F-35 Block 4 upgrade while GAO predicts acquisition delays
The US Navy published a pre-solicitation notice of intent for the third phase of the F-35 Reprogramming Verification & Validation System. Meanwhile, with a five-year delay in its schedule, GAO foresees more postponements in the completion of the Block 4 effort.
-
Newest US Coast Guard cutters go after Chinese vessels sailing in the Arctic
Cutters Earl Cunningham and Storis have been monitoring five Beijing research vessels navigating in the North Pole.
-
US Navy selects 25 companies for up to $1.9 billion nuclear submarine contract
The multi-award contract will support the scheduled repair and maintenance of nuclear-powered attack submarines at the US Navy’s primary public shipyards.