Faced with growing military challenges in the Indo-Pacific, the United States has significantly expanded its military activity in the region. The move appears to be aimed at countering China and deterring North Korea.
This expansion in military activity is neither dramatic nor unforeseen. The U.S. has been steadily bolstering its military presence in the Indo-Pacific, strengthening alliances with regional players, and assertively challenging the increasing Chinese military presence in the region.
Notably, the uptick in U.S. military activity comes amid rampant Chinese military intimidation of U.S. allies, particularly in the South China Sea.
Tangled in multiple territorial disputes, Chinese coast guards frequently flex muscles in the South China Sea and claim almost all of the contested waters. Beijing is also rapidly advancing its military presence in the Taiwan Strait and threatening to invade the self-ruled island.
The U.S. also seeks to deter North Korea, which it believes poses a massive security risk with its expanding missile arsenal. For instance, the country test-fired a new intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile (IRBM) earlier this month and conducted an underwater-to-surface strategic cruise missile test on January 25.
U.S. Military Activity In Indo-Pacific Records An Uptick
US Carrier Arrived In Thailand
The U.S. Navy’s Nimitz-class USS Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group (CSG) has been on a surge deployment to the Indo-Pacific.
Earlier this month, it visited the Philippines for wargames. Later, it was reported to be sailing in the South China Sea. The carrier reportedly conducted a routine flight operation with an EA-18G Growler in the South China Sea on January 21.
On January 27, the USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) arrived at Port Laem Chabang, Thailand. An official statement announcing the carrier’s arrival noted, “The visit demonstrates the continuation of a long-standing partnership among allied countries rooted in close people-to-people, economic, and security ties. Vinson, the flagship of Carrier Strike Group ONE, is currently pier-side in Laem Chabang, Thailand, for a scheduled port visit.”
Stealth Fighters Despatched
The U.S. Air Force (USAF) dispatched F-35A Lightning II fighters assigned to the 134th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, Vermont Air National Guard, to the Kadena Air Base in Japan on January 13.
Notably, Kadena is one of the most strategic U.S. military facilities in the region, located on the Japanese island of Okinawa, which is the first island chain (the string of islands encompassing Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines) of the Pacific.
The base is merely 200 miles or over 321 kilometers away from Taiwan and is expected to play a central role in a potential conflict between the U.S. and China if Beijing invades Taiwan.
The deployment is part of a larger effort to replace the F-15C/D fleet of aircraft that are headed for retirement. While the USAF plans to permanently deploy new and advanced fourth-generation F-15EX Eagle II jets on Kadena, it is currently carrying out a rotational deployment as a stopgap solution to keep a strong fighter presence in the region.
According to a press release from the 18th Wing, Kadena’s host unit, the F-35s join other F-35 Lightning II fighters already stationed at the base, along with multirole F-16 Fighting Falcons and F-22 Raptors.
U.S. Spy Planes Operating Near China
Citing open-source data, Newsweek claimed that the US Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft has flown several reconnaissance missions near the Chinese coast and the North Korean border this month. The report further claimed that the U.S. deploys several RC-135 Rivet Joint aircraft at the Kadena air base.
Last month, the U.S. Navy’s P-8 Poseidon spy plane flew over the Taiwan Strait as part of its Freedom of Navigation Operation (FONOP), triggering protest and criticism from China, which claims Taiwan as its sovereign territory. A similar P-8 flight was undertaken in November 2024.
US Carrier Conducts Drills With The Philippines
Earlier this month, the U.S. carrier strike group conducted joint maritime drills with its Filipino counterpart in the volatile South China Sea. The drill coincided with the presence of the Chinese Coast Guard’s ‘Monster Ship’ near the Philippines.
The drill took place near Zambales waters, where the Chinese Coast Guard’s Monster ship was sailing. The war games made headlines for sending a clear message to Beijing as the latter continued to harass Philippine vessels.
This was the first maritime wargame between the Philippines and the U.S. in 2025. Led by the USS Carl Vinson, the CSG trained alongside the Filipino BRP Antonio Luna, BRP Andres Bonifacio, two FA-50 fighter aircraft, and Philippine Air Force Search & Rescue assets.
Additionally, these drills were held the day after U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, who was appointed by President Donald Trump to head the State Department, cautioned Beijing against taking aggressive measures in the South China Sea.
Rubio said that China’s “deeply destabilizing” moves on Taiwan and the Philippines force the U.S. to “counteract” while urging China to “stop messing around.”
U.S. Stealth Bombers, Fast Attack Submarine In Guam
Kicking off the USAF’s first bomber task formation (BTF) deployment of the year 2025, four B-1B Lancer assigned to the 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron from Ellsworth Air Force Base in San Diego landed in the Andersen Air Force Base in Guam on January 15. These BTF missions allow strategic bombers to deploy from a wide range of foreign and continental U.S. bases with greater operational resilience.
In a separate development, the Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Columbia entered the Apra Harbor, Naval Base Guam on January 12.
The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command published an image of the submarine in waters near Guam.
“Columbia is on deployment supporting the U.S. 7th Fleet, the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, operating with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region,” the Command said in a statement.
Guam is a strategic U.S. territory in the Pacific that is expected to operate as a frontline U.S. military outpost and function as a staging ground for U.S. bombers, fighter jets, and naval vessels in the event of a potential conflict between the U.S. and China.
Against that backdrop, the presence of B-1B bombers and attack submarines in the region served as a powerful reminder of the U.S. commitment to safeguarding its interests and deterring China.
USS America & USS Blue Ridge Operating In The West Pacific
US Navy’s amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) is currently forward-deployed to the West Pacific. On January 22, a UH-1Y Venom utility helicopter from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) Air Combat Element (ACE) took off from the ship’s flight deck while conducting operations in the Philippines Sea.
USS America is the lead ship of the America Amphibious Ready Group.
In a separate development, the Seventh Fleet flagship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) transited Tokyo Bay with Mt. Fuji in the background on January 22.
“As the 7th Fleet flagship, Blue Ridge is the oldest operational ship in the Navy and routinely operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region,” said a release from DVIDS.
U.S. Military Drills In The Indo-Pacific
The U.S. military started the year on a high note, conducting multiple military drills in the Indo-Pacific in January 2025.
The U.S. military conducted an 8-day emergency rapid response exercise at Kadena Air Base, Japan, between January 8 and 15. “Airmen tested their ability to rapidly deploy forces and sustain operations under degraded conditions while strengthening their warfighting and agile combat employment concepts,” said a press release.
The U.S. also participated in a 12-nation exercise aimed at improving the ability to retake isolated islands. The drill involved airborne forces from the United States, Japan, Australia, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Poland, the Philippines, and Singapore. The operation began with USAF’s C-130J Super Hercules from the 36th Airlift Squadron, loading 20 Japanese and 20 U.S. Army paratroopers.
The USAF members from the 374th Airlift Wing and 35th Fighter Wing practiced rapid air mobility operations at Misawa Air Base, Japan, on January 14. An official release said: “This mission highlights the importance of inter-base cooperation, ensuring rapid deployment capabilities to meet operational demands in the Indo-Pacific theater.”
In a completely separate development, the U.S., South Korea, and Japan Air Forces launched a joint drill on January 14. The drill involved two US B-1B bombers and the South Korean F-15K and Japanese F-2 fighter jets.
The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said the escort flight demonstrated the three sides’ “strong trilateral cooperation,” which enables an “immediate coordinated response to regional security challenges.”
Additionally, to strengthen their ability to conduct joint operations, the U.S. and South Korean air forces began a four-day combined aerial exercise on January 21. The US A-10 attack aircraft, the South’s FA-50 fighter jet, and KA-1 light attack aircraft participated in the Buddy Squadron exercise conducted at Osan air base, 87 kilometers southeast of Seoul.
Notably, this was the last drill featuring the A-10, which the U.S. has decided to pull out of South Korea ahead of its retirement.
- Contact the author at sakshi.tiwari9555 (at) gmail.com
- Follow EurAsian Times on Google News
