US Aircraft Carrier Conducts Maritime Operations in Philippine Sea Amid Rising Tensions » Capital News

MANILA, Philippines Apr 29 — A US aircraft carrier strike group is conducting maritime operations in the Philippine Sea, a vast and resource-rich body of water on the country’s eastern side, opposite the West Philippine Sea.

The deployment comes just days after the Philippine Navy monitored the presence of China’s aircraft carrier Shandong and other vessels in the same area, signaling heightened military activity in the region.

In a statement on Friday, the US Navy confirmed that the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (NIMCSG), led by its flagship USS Nimitz (CVN 68), entered the Philippine Sea following a port visit to Guam.

The Navy said the group’s presence reflects Washington’s “commitment to a secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific region,” emphasizing its ability to project power and maintain combat readiness across the theater.

Starting April 23, the strike group began conducting day and night flight operations focused on rapid aircraft launches and recoveries under various combat scenarios.

In addition to the 49-year-old USS Nimitz—scheduled for retirement next year—NIMCSG includes several destroyers under Destroyer Squadron 9 and multiple squadrons from Carrier Air Wing 17. The group operates under the US Navy’s 7th Fleet, the largest forward-deployed fleet, which routinely engages with regional allies to uphold a “free and open Indo-Pacific.”

The US Navy’s announcement followed sightings of nine vessels from China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy in the Philippine Sea, including the Shandong aircraft carrier.

Simultaneously, the US has joined Philippine and Japanese forces in military drills in the West Philippine Sea as part of this year’s “Balikatan” joint exercises. One of the key highlights is the planned sinking of the decommissioned World War II-era corvette BRP Miguel Malvar during a live-fire exercise off the coast of San Antonio in Zambales on May 5.

Capt. John Percie Alcos, Philippine Navy spokesperson and former commanding officer of the Miguel Malvar, said the ship, originally commissioned as the USS Brattleboro in 1944, is the “most decorated” in the fleet and has played a crucial role in challenging Chinese incursions in the West Philippine Sea.

The aging vessel will soon be replaced by a new FFG-06 class frigate, already delivered and scheduled for commissioning in May. Once commissioned, it will be deployed to patrol contested waters in the West Philippine Sea.