Over the Easter weekend in the Taiwan Straits, China showcased its air and maritime power. The operational design for this military demonstration was a mission rehearsal for the unlawful aggression toward and blockade of Taiwan. The Chinese Communist PLAN maneuvered its first domestically-built aircraft carrier, the CNS Shandong, along with a maritime armada of 11 Chinese warships into Taiwan and Japanese territorial waters. Over those few days, 232 Chinese warplanes, including planes launched off the CNS Shandong, flew over Taiwan’s sovereign air defense identification zone. CNS Shandong’s aircraft launched hundreds of sorties with aggressive profiles around the island nation. Chinese media stated these air patrols and drills were meant to show its ability to undertake joint operations and precision strikes from the air, land, and sea, in a hypothetical war against Taiwan. More than just observing, US INDOPACOM collected valuable insight into the operational design elements. Beyond the mass and bluster, those military design elements remain vulnerable.
From the 11th of April through the 28th of April off the West Philippine Sea, the United States and the Philippines will execute their 38th annual Balikatan exercise — the largest and most technologically sophisticated operation to date. Over 17,000 forces consisting of 12,000 US Army Soldiers, Navy Sailors, Marines, 5,400 Philippine Soldiers and 100 Australian personnel operating in the air, on the land, on the sea, and across other critical domains will execute operational designs that buttressed a strategic treaty commitment to defend the Philippines and other Allies against malign threats across the first island chain. The launch of long-distance fires and anti-ship missiles from land — fully integrated with the U.S. Army’s Avenger and Patriot air and missile defense systems are unprecedented in the history of Balikatan. It is a clear demonstration of this Joint/Combined Force’s proven expertise and combat experience.
As China continues to coerce and bully free nations like Taiwan with malign intent, the U.S. is reassuring its Allies and partners across the Indo-Pacific with core elements of an incontrovertible Integrated Air and Missile Defense capability. The joint, agile, and more maneuverable capabilities of US long-distance fires and missile defense systems — in partnership with Allies and partners within the first island chain — can deter and defeat Chinese coercion and Military aggression. “Balikatan” in Tagalog, means “Shoulder-to-Shoulder,” and the U.S. continues to train and mission rehearse much closer than shoulder-to-shoulder with our Pacific Allies….it’s Heart-to-Heart as One Team!
