NPR

The U.S. Positions Warships In Tense Asia-Pacific Waters

The Navy assigned its 3rd and 7th fleets in the Western Pacific, as the United States shifts its focus to flashpoints in Asia.
A Navy fighter jet comes in for a landing on the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson in the South China Sea.

After a two-hour flight from Manila, the tailhook of the C-2 Greyhound cargo plane snagged a cable on the deck of the USS Carl Vinson, and went from about 100 miles an hour to zero in a couple of seconds.

The Carl Vinson is the flagship of the first carrier strike group of the U.S. Navy's 3rd Fleet. It operates in tandem with the 7th Fleet, based in Yokosuka, Japan.

The Navy now has two fleets assigned to operate in the Western Pacific, as the United States shifts its priorities away from the Middle East, to deal with a number of potential flashpoints in the Asia Pacific.

The Navy invited journalists from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and the United States aboard the carrier last week.

The ship was traveling through the middle of the South China Sea, east

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR2 min read
A Baltimore Bridge Collapse Timeline; Disney And DeSantis Settle Legal Battle
Two bodies were recovered from the Baltimore bridge collapse and investigators released a timeline of events. The Walt Disney Company and Gov. Ron DeSantis have settled their lawsuits.
NPR3 min readPolitical Ideologies
An Appeals Court Says 'Undated' Pennsylvania Ballots Don't Count
A federal appeals panel says mailed ballots arriving on time but in envelopes without dates handwritten by Pennsylvania voters shouldn't be counted. This case is expected to reach the Supreme Court.
NPR4 min readAmerican Government
California Judge Recommends Disbarment Of Pro-Trump Attorney John Eastman
A California judge found that attorney John Eastman committed "exceptionally serious ethical violations" in his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election and recommended disbarment.

Related Books & Audiobooks