Drawing from the USNI’s July 25, 2021 article:
After months at sea already the HMS Queen Elizabeth (QE) Carrier Strike Group (CSG21) is making its way into the South China Sea. QE is RO8 at approximate position in the southern (Singapore) end of the Malacca Strait. China is seemingly aggro at the presence of QE, in the sense that China is spitting the dummy.
CSG21 has split into different elements following the conclusion of Exercise Konkan with the Indian Navy (held July 21-22 in the Bay of Bengal). Separately QE and its remaining surface escorts conducted a PASSEX Exercise on July 25 in the Malacca Strait with the Royal Malaysian Navy’s two Lekiu class frigates, KD Lekiu and KD Jebat.
KD Lekiu, QE and Netherlands frigate HNLMS Evertsen (background) at PASSEX exercise in the Malacca Strait, July 25. (Photo courtesy Malaysian Navy via USNI).
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CSG21 includes:
- Type 23 frigates HMS Richmond (conducted PASSEX exercise, July 24, in the
Andaman Sea with Thai frigate HTMS Kraburi) and HMS Kent
- Type 45 destroyer HMS Defender (on July 25 it docked at Muara Naval Base,
Brunei)
- UK Royal Fleet Auxiliaries RFA Fort Victoria and RFA Tidespring
- the USN destroyer USS The Sullivans
- Dutch frigate HNLMS Evertsen and
- the SSN HMS Artful. (sighted midday July 25 travelling through the Singapore
Strait
and heading to the South China Sea).
On the carrier QE is US F-35B Squadron 211 along with F-35Bs of the RAF’s 617 “The
Dambusters.” F-35B Squadron.
QE is
expected to dock in Singapore (already or soon).
China Spits Dummy
Seemingly the pot calling the kettle black (given China's own aggressive military/naval activities in the South China Sea) Chinese Defence Spokesman Tan Kefei's, July 28 was reported as saying:
“The
Chinese side believes that the South China Sea should not become a sea of great
power rivalry dominated by weapons and warships. The real source of
militarisation in the South China Sea comes from countries outside this region
sending their warships [like the UK's CSG21] thousands of kilometres from home to flex muscles...
The UK elements of
CSG21 are expected in October 2021 to take part in the (Indo-Pacific) Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) Bersama Gold exercise. Normally known as Bersama
Lima, the annual sea and air exercise was renamed for this year to mark the
golden anniversary of the FPDA, which comprises of Australia, New Zealand,
Malaysia, Singapore and the United Kingdom.
2 comments:
Hi Pete,
Thanks for the details.
I've never understood why the CCP acts in such a sensitive and unrealistic fashion. In reality, the UK carrier group is, imho, a one off attempt for the UK to show the flag and it's flashy new big ships. The UK simply can't afford to have it's most expensive assets enter the West Philippine Seas/SCS 1-2 a year. And if it is relying on "allies" to provide escorts, then the group will never be a well trained, well oiled machine.
So all the CCP needs to do is absolutely nothing. It'd show the UK that it knows the UK is weak, and China is the new big kid on the block. The fact that the UK, Australia, and Canada will not get a fully rejuvenated navy with new subs and frigates/destroyers until (realistically) about 2050, and the US will not be getting rid of the LCS with the Constellations til 2030-35, while China currently pumps out 8 to 12 a year with no plans to stop, pretty much says it all.
As an aside, it's sad to think I might be dead before I can see the fully remade RAN with 12 Hunters, 12 Attack subs. (no really, I will likely be dead due to literal old age).
Have a good one mate,
Andrew
Hi Andrew
Very true that HMS Queen Elizabeth's SCS appearence seems a one-off, Britain sort of "Rules the Waves", which is unsustainable (so far from Britain's strategic beat) even once a year from 2022.
I would say that Australia's purchase of 9 UK Type 26 frigates ("Hunter class" in Australia) is, in part, a $multi-Billion inducement for nuclear ally Britain to run a FONOPs against China. Money for French subs similarly induced (Australia's nuclear ally) France's FONOPs in the SCS earlier this year.
I'm also unlikely to be around in the 2050s to see all the Aussie ships/subs on order - let alone Aus SSNs.
At least Australia has completed and is deploying:
- the 3 Hobart class Air Warfare Destroyers
and
- the 2 Canberra class LHDs
Cheers
Pete
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