The Dangerous Game: PRC Sub Stalks US Carrier

The Chinese Navy has been making bold aggressive moves in the South China Seas as of late and this week's stalking of a U.S. Navy Carrier the U.S.S. Ronald Reagan was no exception. Sources around the internet say the Russian built Kilo Class submarine tracked the Reagan for half a day off the Southern Coast of Japan. While some may argue that the PRC is out to prove they are not afraid of our Navy, we're sure that if you are a 19 year old sailor aboard that sub and you hear there are Anti-submarine choppers shadowing your every move from up above, whatever confidence the skipper may have instilled would have likely went up the blow hole. Just as the Chinese Navy wanted our Navy to know they were there, we're confident our response was made loud & clear the minute our sub hunting radar let them know where we stood on the matter. 

While we don't like these rising tensions, it's up to the PRC to decide where they want to go with these moves. 50 years of playing cat & mouse with the Soviet Navy brought only years of tense encounters and an unknown number of widows for a war fought with no battles and only bodies at the bottom of the sea. China is new at this and this is dangerous business. Nobody wants a war and we sure hope it doesn't come to that. That being said, our Navy is there to keep the peace and international shipping lanes open no matter who builds what island where in international waters. We hope cooler heads in Beijing prevail.

Japan PM Shinzo Abe Boards U.S. Navy Aircraft Carrier

Current Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe became the first sitting Japanese Prime Minister to board a United States Navy Aircraft Carrier, the newly deployed USS Ronald Reagan weeks after it arrived at its new home port at Yokosuka Naval Base in Kanagawa Prefecture. This comes one month after the Japanese Parliament (Diet) voted to enact new laws expanding the role of Japan's "Self Defense Forces" in a time of crisis to assist Japan's allies if needed. After the 3/11 Tohuko Disaster, the USS Ronald Reagan participated in Operation Tomodachi. Such good will on the part of the US Navy has not been lost as PM Abe declared the USS Ronald Reagan a Tomodachi (friend) who was there to help the people of Japan during it's time of need.

To the Ship and its crew, PM Abe wished to give a "hearty welcome" and a continuation of what he calls the US-Japan "Alliance of Hope."

American Naval Might

Seen here is at Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego is a rare gathering of American Naval Power in one place: Three United States Navy Nimitz Class Carriers the USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), and the USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). While some people have used this photo and a similar one at Norfolk Virginia as a call for alarm with fears of another Pearl Harbor, such fears are made without facts. In this case, The USS Carl Vinson has just returned from a ten month deployment. The USS Ronald Reagan is preparing to move to Japan. And the USS John C. Stennis was simply making a scheduled port of call before heading to her home port in Bremerton Washington. So for those worry-wort's out there who question the judgment of our naval leadership we say to you enjoy this photo and just relax. The U.S. Navy is on watch 24/7 365 days a year.