Route taken by aircraft carrier Liaoning and its task group. (Janes)
A naval task group centred around the People's Liberation Army Navy's (PLAN's) first aircraft carrier, Liaoning, appears to have plotted out an alternative route into the Pacific Ocean for the service, based on the apparent waypoints that were taken for its most recent operation.
Information released by the Japan's Ministry of Defense's Joint Staff Office (JSO) on 18 September indicates that the task group had sailed through the country's Yaeyama Islands archipelago as it journeyed from the East China Sea into the Pacific Ocean.
More precisely, the task group sailed through waters between Japan's Yonaguni Island and Iriomote Island, the JSO added in a statement on the same day. It represents the first time that a Chinese aircraft carrier had sailed through these waters, the office added.
Besides Liaoning , the task group consisted of the Type 052D (Luyang III)-class destroyers Chengdu and Huainan .
In response to the presence of these vessels, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) tasked its lead Takanami-class destroyer, JS Takanami , and its fourth Abukuma-class frigate, JS Sendai, to carry out surveillance operations on the Chinese ships.
The service also deployed P-1 maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) from its Fleet Air Wing 1 that is based at the Kanoya naval aviation station and a P-3C Orion MPA from its Fleet Air Wing 5 from the Naha base to monitor the PLAN vessels, the office noted.
In a separate statement issued by the JSO on 21 September, the office noted that Liaoning
Looking to read the full article?
Gain unlimited access to Janes news and more...
