U.S. NavyThree U.S. Navy nuclear-powered aircraft carriers are operating off the coast of North Korea, the largest concentration of naval firepower in a decade. The carriers are conducting four days of drills in the Sea of Japan with their Japanese and South Korean counterparts, with at least one guest appearance by B-1 heavy bombers.View full post on YoutubeLate last month, Popular Mechanics reported that three aircraft carriers: USS Nimitz, USS Ronald Reagan, and USS Theodore Roosevelt were in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. Based in Yokosuka, Japan, the 7th Fleet covers an enormous swath of the world’s oceans, from the India-Pakistan border to just off Hawaii. Although thousands of miles apart, there was some speculation that the three carriers could rendezvous off Korean peninsula to send a warning to North Korean leader Kim Jong un. The U.S. Navy told Voice of America news that such an event was unlikely but that it was “flexible”.Well, it happened. On Saturday Nimitz, Ronald Reagan, and Roosevelt all met up in Sea of Japan, off the coast of North Korea for four days of drills. A total of twelve strike fighter squadrons are embarked on the three ships, including 10 squadrons of F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornets and 2 squadrons of F/A-18C Hornets. Each aircraft carrier is accompanied by other elements of its carrier strike group, including a cruiser, guided missile destroyers, and a nuclear attack submarine.Kyle MizokamiWriter on Defense and Security issues, lives in San Francisco.
