This is besides increasing the number of transits through the disputed
waters, reported south china morning post. The number of transits increased
to 10 in 2021 from 6 in 2020 and 5 in 2019.
The daily quoting analysts said the shift could be part of the
countermeasures devised by the carrier strike groups to face any emergency
in the region including a taiwan invasion.
According to the south china sea probing initiative a Beijing-based think
tank, the US began its 2022 naval schedule two weeks earlier than last year
by sending the USS Carl Vinson carrier strike group and a landing helicopter
dock group to the south china sea for a joint drill with essex amphibious
ready group.
The u.s military has drastically reinforced their military deployment in the
south china sea since last year, in terms of training scales, sorties and
scenarios, SCSPI Director Hubo was quoted by the news outlet.
He added that while u.s warships would enter the waters via the Bashi
Channel between the philippines and taiwan earlier, the routes and operation
timespans have become diversified recently.
Now the ships are getting into the south china sea via the Narrow waterways
between the philippine archipelagos, as per navigation records and satellite
images. This includes the balabac straight off Palawan Province a channel
between verde island and mindoro and other points. USS Carl Vinson II took
this route via the balabac strait for the drill last tuesday.
This is a part of the u.s efforts against the pla's anti-access strategies.
"I believe the u.s navy is trying to escape the over-the-horizon, oth radar
systems on the three artificial islands of mischief, subi and fiery cross
reefs which has targeted u.s warships and aircraft before," Lu Li Xi, a
former instructor at taiwan's naval academy in Gaochon told South China
Morning Post.
He added that theUS could use the geographical features of the philippines
to approach the region to evade the OTH radars which fall short when it
comes to monitoring approaching objects from a group of archipelagoes.
The use of alternative routes also reduces the predictability of the
warships think analysts.
