Freedom Of Navigation Operations

| August 31, 2020


USS Mustin DDG-89

Jeff LPH 3 sent us a link to China’s latest test firing of its ‘carrier killer’ missile a couple of days ago:

Military Times

In response, the US Navy sent China a reminder that no, they don’t own the South China Sea.

US Navy sends warship near disputed islands a day after China’s ’carrier killer’ missile test

Geoff Ziezulewicz

The U.S. Navy sent a warship steaming near disputed islands in the South China Sea Thursday, a day after Beijing reportedly tested so-called “carrier killer” missiles in the same area.

The guided-missile destroyer Mustin “asserted navigational rights and freedoms in the vicinity of the Paracel Islands, consistent with international law,” U.S. 7th Fleet spokeswoman Cmdr. Reann Mommsen said in a statement. “This freedom of navigation operation (‘FONOP’) upheld the rights, freedoms and lawful uses of the sea recognized in international law by challenging the unlawful restrictions on innocent passage imposed by China, Taiwan and Vietnam and also by challenging China’s claim to straight baselines enclosing the Paracel Islands.”

The Paracels are a collection of 130 islands and reefs, surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potential natural resource reserves, that are claimed by China, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Such FONOPs are regularly conducted by the Navy to challenge territorial claims there and elsewhere in the South China Sea, which includes some of the world’s busiest trade routes.

Read the rest here: Navy Times

Thanks, Jeff.

Category: China, Guest Link, Navy

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MustangCryppie

I appreciate it that we are maintaining a presence, but i would want to see us poke the Chicoms in the eye HARD.

Multinational naval exercise in the SCS. Just “forget” to invite the PRC. Rinse and repeat.

We cannot just let them make these waters their private lake, pretty much by default.

Anonymous

China’s gonna China.

5th/77th FA

Just like a spoiled child the more they are allowed to get away with, the more they will try to get away with.

Imma wid MustangCryppie. Throw a fish fry/party in the SCS and invite everybody but them. Anybody see the latest on the ChiCom fishing fleet off the west coast of South America. Shows how they are really struggling to feed the people AND export frozen food for hard cash. Long way to go to get your stringer full for supper. I guess those commercial fishing vessels that catch and process all at the same location is better than catching, transporting back to China, then processing. Oblowme removing the requirement to show the country of origin for our food products, IMO, was one of the worst things they could have done for us. I am making a concentrated effort to not buy ANYTHING from China, but a lot of time there is no indication where it actually came from. If they can require it for clothing and electronics, they can require it for food stuffs. Remember the tainted dog food?

USMC Steve

I like the idea of shadowing their fishing fleet and banging the water with HE to jack up their fishing efforts.

5th/77th FA

Sounds like a plan to me Devil Dog. We can grill some red snapper or sea bass while we monitor their activities. Did a quick Google Foo, this was the latest on their activities. Seems like they are putting some lipstick on their pig.

https://www.maritime-executive.com/editorials/china-wary-of-image-crisis-after-galapagos-fishing-scrutiny?ocid=uxbndlbing

Cameron

I see replays of what it was probably like with Imperial Japan. From an article I saw (I believe it was on the Western Journal) that a group of Chinese sailors were apparently antagonizing another group from Indonesia not too long ago. I also saw a blurb on News18 (Indian news company where I found an article that I decided to use for a school assignment about the Supreme Court of India decriminalizing adultery, making it a civil offense) and saw a blurb that China may have executed another intrusion into India when I went to cite it. Needless to say, India did not appreciate it.

11B-Mailclerk

“Carrier killing missile”

“Nation killing submarine”

FAFO

ChipNASA

HI Freaks,
Good Mornin’, up late finishing off work cause I dropped kids and doggo off late.
Time for be but I thought I’d just check in, in a new. not too commented thread.
Hollar at ye’ all later.
All is well.
Smooches…
Chip

Slow Joe

Can we shoot down their test missile?

That would be funny…though perhaps a little provocative.

26Limabeans

It would show our hand.

Example:
SNAKE OPS this is COBRA two one radio check over

This is SNAKE OPS you are not authorized this frequency

The guy got his radio check and disappeared.
Never answer an unauthorized callsign.

Slow Joe

Excellent point.

Ret_25X

you want to hurt China? Cut off their oil and coal imports. Imagine their excitement to work as an honest nation once the lights go out.

Won’t happen though.

Those are powerful economic lobbies.