U.S. Naval Institute Staff – October 30, 2026 4:40 PM
The following is a summary of major ship movements and exercises in the Western Pacific over the last week.
Around Japan
Aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) conducted a passenger exchange on Monday with Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Regina (FFH 334) during exercise Keen Sword 27 (KS27). The U.S.-Japan bilateral Exercise Keen Sword 27 closed on Thursday, having begun on Oct. 19 with the majority of activities taking place in Japan’s southwest region.
The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group consists of aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt with embarked carrier air wing (CVW) 11, cruiser USS Chosin (CG-65) and destroyers USS Paul Hamilton (DDG-60) and USS Decatur (DDG-73).
Earlier on Saturday, Theodore Roosevelt carried out a replenishment-at-sea with fleet oiler USNS Tippecanoe (T-AO-199) as part of the exercise.
Although a bilateral exercise between the U.S and Japan, partner nations were invited to participate. Approximately 45,000 members from the Japan Self-Defense Force, 11,000 U.S. service members and an unknown number of forces from Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand and the Philippines participated alongside observers from the Republic of Korea and the United Kingdom.
A total of 260 aircraft and 40 ships, including the Theodore Roosevelt CSG were deployed in the drills. Exercise activities included force-on-force drills between 12th Marine Littoral Regiment (MLR) and the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force at JGSDF Hijudai Maneuver Area, Kyushu on Sunday, maritime operations in Okinawa by Expeditionary Operations Training Group and 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 3rd Marine Division on Monday and bilateral convoys operations in Okinawa between 3rd Landing Support Battalion, 3rd Marine Logistics Group and the JGSDF on Monday.
In the Philippine Sea
The Liaoning Carrier Strike Group is operating in the Philippine Sea east of the Philippine main island of Luzon as of Wednesday according to a graphic posted by Joseph Wu, Secretary General of Taiwan’s National Security Council. The strike group includes aircraft carrier CNS Liaoning (16) cruisers CNS Anshan (101) and CNS Wuxi (104) and destroyer CNS Huainan (123).
In Yokosuka, Japan
The Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group pulled into Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka (CFAY) on Monday for maintenance and resupply. The ARG includes amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD-8), amphibious transport docks USS Anchorage (LPD-23) and USS John P. Murtha (LPD-26) and the embarked 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU).
Cruiser USS Chosin (CG-65), part of the Theodore Roosevelt CSG pulled into CFAY on Sunday and departed on Wednesday, according to local ship spotters.
Destroyer USS Howard (DDG-83) returned home to CFAY on Saturday, according to local ship spotters
The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force training squadron returned home to JMSDF Yokosuka Naval Base on Saturday, completing a 161-day training cruise. The squadron, which included training ship JS Kashima (TV-3508) and training ship/destroyer JS Yamagiri (TV-3515), sailed to Iceland, Canada and participated in the International Naval Review (INR) 250 in New York.
Expeditionary fast transport USNS City of Bismarck (T-EPF-9) and Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Stuart (FFH153) docked into Yokosuka on Friday according to local ship spotters.
In the Miyako Strait
On Tuesday, a single Chinese Y-9 Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) aircraft flew in from the East China Sea and passed between Okinawa and Miyako Island to enter the Philippine Sea. The aircraft flew as far as south of Amami Oshima, then flew back to return to the East China Sea. Japan Air Self-Defense Force fighter aircraft of the Southwestern Air Defense Command were scrambled to intercept the Y-9.
Also on Tuesday, People’s Liberation Army Navy cruiser CNS Lhasa (102) and fleet oiler CNS Kekexilihu (903) were sighted sailing southeast 140 kilometers – 87 miles – northeast of Miyako Island and subsequently sailed southeast between Okinawa and Miyako Island to enter the Philippine Sea.
A JMSDF P-3C Orion Maritime Patrol Aircraft shadowed the PLAN ships.
That same day, PLAN destroyer CNS Xining (117) and frigate CNS Yanchang (546) were spotted south 70 kilometers – 43 miles – west of Kume Island. The ships subsequently sailed southeast between Okinawa and Miyako Island to enter the Philippine Sea while under surveillance by a JMSDF P-3C Orion MPA of Fleet Air Wing 5.
On Wednesday, a Chinese Y-9 ELINT and a BZK-005 reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle flew in from the East China Sea and passed between Okinawa and Miyako Island to enter the Philippine Sea. The aircraft and drone flew to the northeast before turning back and returning the same way into the East China Sea. The JASDF Southwestern Air Defense Command scrambled fighter aircraft in response.
On Thursday, a Chinese TB-001 reconnaissance UAV flew in from the East China Sea and over the waters between Miyako Island and Okinawa to enter the Philippine Sea. The drone then flew northeast and conducted a patrol circuit before returning back to the East China Sea the same way.
Also on Thursday, a Y-9 MPA flew in from the East China Sea, and also passed over the waters between Miyako Island and Okinawa to enter the Philippine Sea. The Y-9 then flew northeast before subsequently returning to the East China Sea. JASDF fighter aircraft from the Southwestern Air Defense Command were launched in response.
In the East China Sea
On Wednesday, a Chinese Y-9 MPA flew in from China to an area southwest of the Danjo Islands in the East China Sea then to an area northwest of Okinawa before returning towards China. Fighter aircraft from the JASDF Southwestern Air Defense Command were scrambled to intercept the Y-9.
In the Osumi Strait
A joint PLAN/China Coast Guard task group was sighted sailing east 200 kilometers – 124 miles – west of Kuchinoerabu Island at 10 a.m. on Tuesday and subsequently sailed east through the Osumi Strait, which separates the main island of Kyushu and Tanegashima Island, to enter the Pacific Ocean. The group included cruiser CNS Dongguan (109), destroyer CNS Baotou (133), frigate CNS Xuzhou (530) and China Coast Guard ship CCG 2307.
JMSDF destroyer JS Shiranui (DD-120), minesweeper JS Takashima (MSC-603) and a JMSDF P-1 MPA shadowed the Chinese ships, according to a Japan Joint Staff Office news release. The release also marks the first time Japan has announced that a China Coast Guard ship is operating with PLAN ships around Japan.
PLAN Dongdiao-class surveillance ship Yuhengxing (798) sailed west through the Osumi Strait to enter the East China Sea on Thursday. It had earlier been sighted at 2 p.m. sailing west in an area 60 kilometers southeast of Cape Toi on the main island of Kyushu. JMSDF destroyer JS Kongo (DDG-173) and destroyer JS Abukuma (DE-229) shadowed the PLAN ship. Yuhengxing on Oct. 17-18. had transited east through the Osumi Strait to enter the Pacific Ocean
In the Tsushima Strait
Russian Navy surveillance ship Kareliya (535) transited southwest through the Tsushima Strait between Tuesday and Wednesday to enter the East China Sea. The Russia ship was previously sighted sailing southwest on Tuesday around 80 kilometers – 50 miles – northeast of Tsushima. JMSDF minesweeper JS Hirashima (MSC-601) and a JMSDF P-1 MPA from Fleet Air Wing 4 monitored the Russian ship.
In the Sea of Okhotsk
Russian nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) RFS Generalissimus Suvorov (K-553) launched a Bulava Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) at the Chizha test site in the Arkhangelsk region of northwest Russia, the Russian Defense Ministry announced on Wednesday. The Ministry also released a video of the launch. The video, by state media Tass, shows the ICBM being launched from the submarine while it was submerged.
At Kunsan Air Base, South Korea
The U.S. Air Force and Republic of Korea Air Force began two weeks of airpower drills on Monday under Exercise Freedom Flag 26-2, a biannual exercise designed to enhance the interoperability of U.S.-ROK allied forces, strengthening response capabilities and contributing to regional stability.
In Wonsan, North Korea
North Korea launched 10 short range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) from Wonsan into the Sea of Japan at 12.30 p.m. local time Thursday, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff. The SRBMs flew for a distance of 250 kilometers – 155 miles.
Thursday’s launches appeared to be from a firepower demonstration on the same day for North Korea leader Kim Jong Un at an exhibition on unmanned technology in an undisclosed location as photographs by state media Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) showed salvo firing of North Korea’s 600mm multiple rocket launcher whose rockets are classed as SRBMs during the demonstration.
In the South China Sea
The Armed Forces of the Philippines, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, and U.S. Coast Guard conducted a multi-lateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MCA) within the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the South China Sea on Saturday.
The Philippines deployed Philippine Navy frigate BRP Diego Silang (FFG-07) and a Philippine Navy AW159 Wildcat helicopter, Philippine Coast Guard patrol vessel BRP Suluan (MRRV-4406) and a Philippine Air Force C208 Caravan aircraft to carry out drills with JMSDF destroyer JS Kirisame (DD-104) and U.S. Coast Guard cutter USCGC Bertholf (WMSL-750).
“This activity continues to showcase our demonstrated, collective commitment to strengthening regional and international cooperation in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific,” reads a U.S. 7th Fleet news release on the activity.
In the Malacca Strait
Littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS-18) was operating in the Malacca Strait on Sunday. Charleston is on a scheduled deployment operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations and is assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 7.
In Western Australia
Fast attack submarine USS Colorado (SSN-788) arrived at HMAS Stirling, Western Australia, on Tuesday to begin a scheduled month-long maintenance period. The visit marks the fourth submarine maintenance period in Western Australia since the establishment of AUKUS.
This post was written by Dzirhan Mahadzir.
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