Refueling F-35B Over South China Sea

05/13/2019
An F-35B Lightning II attack jet flies alongside a KC-130J tanker aircraft attached to a refueling drogue during an aerial refueling mission above the East China Sea, Oct. 23, 2018.  The F-35B belongs to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121 (VMFA-121) and the KC-130J belongs to Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron…

Exercise Bersama Lima 2016 

10/30/2016
10/30/2016: Approximately 400 ADF personnel, from Navy, Army and Air Force, participated in Exercise Bersama Lima 2016 (Ex BL 16), a Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) combined joint exercise being held in Malaysia, Singapore and the South China Sea over the period 04 – 21 October 2016. Ex BL16 incorporates integration training,…

Getting Ready for the P-8 and Triton: Aussie P-3s Operating Over the South China Sea

05/03/2016
05/03/2016: As Air Commodore Heap, head of the Surveillance Response Group, noted in an interview with Second Line of Defense in March 2016: “We are small but we want to be capable of being a little Tasmanian Devil that you don’t want to play with because if you come at…

P8 Operations in the South China Sea

05/27/2015
05/27/2015: A P-8A Poseidon from Patrol Squadron (VP) 45 captures surveillance footage of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) conducting land reclamation operations in the South China Sea. Credit:Fleet Combat Camera Pacific:5/20/15 According to CNN, while operating in international airspace, the Chinese regularly threatened the P-8 during its mission. The…

USS Makin Island in the South China Sea

11/24/2014
11/24/2014: An MV-22 Osprey, attached to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 163 (Reinforced), launches from the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8). Makin Island, the flagship of the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group, is seen on a deployment with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit. [maxgallery…

China and Its Policies Towards Energy-Rich Territories in Asia-Pacific

11/28/2012
2012-11-28 By D.K. Matai As China's military and economic influence has grown throughout the world, Beijing appears to have become bolder, brasher and more brazen in its claim to territories believed to be rich with oil and natural gas across the Asia-Pacific. The latest attempt to achieve just that is the…

USS George Washington Underway in South China Sea

10/21/2012
10/17/2012: Two F/A-18Es from the Royal Maces of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 27 fly in formation with two Sukhoi Su-30s from the Royal Malaysian air force above the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73). [slidepress gallery='uss-geore-washington'] Credit: Navy Media Content Services:10/13/12  In photo 2, the USS George Washington…

South East Asia’s Dynamic Maritime Threat Environment

09/15/2011
By Karsten Von Hoesslin, Senior Analyst, Risk Intelligence Strategic Insights, No. 30, February 2011 09/25/2011 Overview A considerable increase in reported incidents occurred between 2009 and 2010 with elevated levels of sophisticated piracy and armed sea robbery in the South China Sea, the Sulu Sea, and nearing the end of…