New Delhi. Amid increasing pressure on the US Navy amid the Iran War, America has withdrawn its last aircraft carrier battleship USS George Washington from the Western Pacific. The ship will replace the long-deployed USS Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East. Lincoln's deployments grew increasingly frequent due to operations against Iran, and the psychological stress on the ship's crew and supply problems were also reported.
The absence of US aircraft carriers from the Western Pacific has increased the concern of US allies like Japan and the Philippines, while China is taking advantage of this situation to show its military power and influence in the region.
Pressure on US Navy increases in Middle East
USS George Washington is leaving the Pacific and headed for the Middle East. Its purpose was to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln was scheduled to return in May, but her deployment was extended due to American operations against Iran. The ship has been at sea for more than 240 days continuously. US lawmakers have also demanded an investigation into the conditions and rising tensions among the marines deployed on the ship.
China got an opportunity in the Western Pacific
According to strategic experts, this step of America is going to raise concerns for its allied countries. China can take advantage of the absence of American aircraft carriers in the Western Pacific. Beijing is trying to send a message that the US military presence in the region is weakening and Washington is not able to pay the same attention to the security of its allies as before. However, the US Navy may deploy another aircraft carrier to the Western Pacific in the coming months.
China is continuously conducting military exercises
China has increased its military activities in the region in recent times. She conducted naval exercises with Indonesia. Apart from this, military exercises were conducted near Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, which is also claimed by the Philippines.
A Chinese guided-missile destroyer also conducted live-fire exercises near Japan's southern island of Okinotori. Meanwhile, Admiral Frank Bradley, head of the American Special Operations Command, reached Manila and assured the allied countries to increase joint military exercises.
Trump's increased dependence on aircraft carriers
President Donald Trump has relied heavily on US aircraft carriers for military operations in his second term. USS Gerald R. Ford returned in mid-May after an 11-month deployment. This was his longest deployment since the Vietnam War. During this time, he had cooperated in the campaign against Iran and the capture of the then Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. The Ford later caught fire and had to be returned for repairs.
Navy faces maintenance and comfort crisis
According to defense experts, due to continuous long deployment, the sailors are not getting adequate rest, which can affect their mental and physical abilities. The US Navy has 11 aircraft carriers, but under normal circumstances only two or three of them are deployed at a time.
USS Theodore Roosevelt is expected to depart from San Diego. However, due to continued long deployments, the pressure to repair aircraft carriers is also increasing. The maintenance work of these huge warships is done in only two shipyards of America.
Questions on big ships in the era of drones and missiles
A section of experts believe that in modern warfare, large aircraft carriers can become easy targets of drones and missiles. In such a situation, small warships and submarines may be able to carry out effective attacks at low cost. US Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Daryl Caudle has also advocated reducing excessive reliance on large aircraft carriers and using smaller warships.