PLAN sub appears close to the USS Kitty Hawk again?

Guys stop beating around the bush. It's just the USN seeking for a justification to augment their budget.

watch your words!

Has nothing to do with that either. Sub meets carrier itself is not a newsworthy event by itself, only the circumstances. This time the circumstances are very different. Kitty Hawk and some escorts are a holiday trip to Hong Kong while a major PLAN exercise is going on in the south China seas and at the same time, a storm is happening. Its not inconceivable that PLAN ships may have tried to contact it and that a Song maybe among these.

crobato said:

Has nothing to do with that either. Sub meets carrier itself is not a newsworthy event by itself, only the circumstances. This time the circumstances are very different. Kitty Hawk and some escorts are a holiday trip to Hong Kong while a major PLAN exercise is going on in the south China seas and at the same time, a storm is happening. Its not inconceivable that PLAN ships may have tried to contact it and that a Song maybe among these.

Click to expand...

Wait are you saying that you think that the Song surfaced to try to pass some sort of a message onto the Kitty Hawk?

Maybe something like that, saying you're getting close to the exercise area. Please note that the exercise had live fire, Sovs shooting Sunburns, Kilos shooting Klubs, Houbeis and PLAN ships and subs shooting their YJs.

OK so the PLAN is having a fairly major live fire exercise and a USCG just happens to passing in the neighbourhood hmmm

What was the message I suppose "Nothing to see here buddy, keep moving, and the path is back over there!"

Clearly, this last minute snub sets a precedent. It sets a precedent for the inability of a USN carrier group to enter an area of water due to PLAN warships, subs, FAC's and JH-7A's undertaking operations with live fire. Of course, this time it's because the KH was denied permission... but the point comes across quite clearly to the leadership, I'm sure.

crobato said:

The PLAN exercise was a major one, as it included at least one major destroyer, the 168, along with Jiangweis, Jianghus and Ludas, but also Houbeis and JH-7As, all involved in various forms of live fire. The PLAN also conducted ASW type exercises trying to defend themselves against PLAN subs playing aggressor. It should be noted that one PLAN sub of the East Seas fleet (could be Kilo but likely a Song) was commended for penetrating the ASW screens. All these happened just a week ago or the first half of this month.

Click to expand...

Still the CSG sailed right through the Taiwan straits heading back to Japan only just shortly after the exercises were finished. The same waters where the exercises took place. In a way sort of reasserted "supremacy" over the area.

Crobato is that correct?: The Kitty Hawk group went back right through the straits? That would be the first time since '97...

Well, Beijing will register this demonstration but may be next time the USN would try such a coup things could become awkward. (...vis pacem, para bellum)

Is it really a coup to go through the straights?

In real conflict, the straights would be a death trap for a carrier. If you're making a symbolic show of force, you don't normally put yourself in a position where your opponent can sink you at will.

... Ami.

Here's a report quoting a Taiwanese newspaper that after being rejected entry to HK last Thanksgiving, Kitty Hawk had an 'encounter' with a PLAN ship & a Song sub in the Taiwan Straits.
It says the Song was discovered by a USN P-3C from Japan & that the 'standoff' lasted 28 hrs.



美国小鹰号中国潜舰 台海对峙28小时

　　（联合早报网讯）中时电子报报道，美中又爆军事对峙！权威消息指出，去年十一月美军「小鹰号」航母遭中方拒绝停靠香港后，刻意向中「示威」，取道台海返日，但在行经台海途中，却遭大陆军宋级潜舰和准备访日的「深圳号」导弹舰盯上，「小鹰号」为此异常地在台海停滞，双方对峙长达廿八小时后，危机才宣告解除。

　　这是一九九六年台海危机后，中美两军首度在台湾海峡发生海上军事对峙。

　　九六台海危机后两军首度对峙

　　据了解，「小鹰号」航母战斗群等八艘舰艇在去年十一月廿三日进入台海后，大陆军随即调派一艘已在台湾兰屿附近海域活动的宋级潜舰进行潜航监控，同时另一艘刚结束在海南岛演习准备访日的南海舰队导弹舰「深圳号」，也被指示监控「小鹰号」。

　　当时「小鹰号」沿着台海中线以东向北缓行，大陆军宋级潜舰和「深圳号」导弹舰则在中线以西靠大陆沿岸跟随。

　　美军发现遭到跟监，是因为「小鹰号」放慢速度，共军两艘舰艇也跟随缓行，最后「小鹰号」甚至停驶，两艘舰艇也停下，而其中宋级潜舰是被美军驻日Ｐ３─Ｃ反潜机在台海侦测发现，「小鹰号」才得知除遭到一艘水面舰跟随外，还有一艘共军潜舰也在水下跟监。

　　在得知遭到大陆军舰艇跟监后，「小鹰号」也不甘示弱刻意在台海停滞不前，并摆出战斗姿态，维持舰载机升空护航，双方在对峙廿八小时后，「小鹰号」在十一月廿四日才离开台海返回日本。

　　对于「小鹰号」为何在台海停留长达廿八小时，另有消息人士指称，若据美军说法，除天候因素外，也因当时「小鹰号」航母战斗群刚结束与日本海上自卫队于菲律宾海域进行的联合演习后，仍有其他舰艇留在南海监控大陆军海南岛演习，因此「小鹰号」特别在台海等待其中两艘舰艇，在两艘舰艇跟上后，才汇集整个航母战斗群返回日本横须贺母港。

　　据权威人士分析，这次中美两军在台海对峙，应该是「小鹰号」遭拒绝停靠香港后所意外衍生，虽然当时台湾扁政府正炒热选举并全力推动入联公投，但美方国务院当时已出面反对，美军不可能在军事上再为台湾做任何护航动作，因此整起事件与台湾无关，而是单纯的美中角力。

　　研判纯美中角力与台湾无关

　　消息说，这也是为何后来访问日本的「深圳号」，原本获得日本同意参观海上自卫队「雾岛号」神盾舰，却突然临时遭到美国施压抗议，而改为参观日本补给舰「常磐号」，整个事件是一连串发展下来。

　　对于「小鹰号」遭中方拒绝靠港的原因至今仍众说纷纭，权威管道则指出，中方拒绝的背后原因，确实与大陆军在海南岛和华东进行军演有关，扯不上美国对台军售其他因素，因为当时「小鹰号」进入台海后，大陆军在华东的军演随即喊停，原因即担心演习过程遭美军监控侦测。

　　另外则是当时双方有关建立军事热线的议题吵得正热，北京方面实际上并不愿与美军建立军事热线，因此藉此议题急踩煞车，以缓和双方军事交流过热的问题，研判北京在「小鹰号」停靠香港上的反覆决定，应与中国内部决策管道出现沟通问题无关。