China: J-20s vigilan el Mar de China

Cazas J-20 inician patrullas en los mares del este y sur de China

Cazas furtivos J-20 de China (foto: Chen Chang)


Los cazas furtivos J-20 de China han comenzado a patrullar los mares de China Oriental y Meridional como parte de misiones de entrenamiento de rutina, informaron medios estatales.

Según el periódico Global Times, el anuncio fue hecho por Ren Yukun, jefe del equipo de supervisión e inspección disciplinaria y miembro del grupo líder del partido en la Corporación de la Industria de Aviación de China (AVIC), de propiedad estatal.

En una conferencia de prensa el 12 de abril, Yukun dijo que se ha convertido en una rutina de entrenamiento para los Chengdu J-20 volar "patrullas de combate" en el Mar de China Oriental y "patrullas de alerta" en el Mar de China Meridional.

Agregó que estas patrullas se llevan a cabo después de que el J-20 cambiara a usar "motores desarrollados en el país".

El avión originalmente estaba propulsado por motores de la serie Saturn AL-31FN de fabricación rusa. Janes informó anteriormente que los Saturn están comenzando a ser reemplazados por motores turbofan Shenyang-Liming WS10C desarrollados localmente desde al menos septiembre de 2019. Se dice que el motor chino ofrece un empuje superior en comparación con los Saturn.

Los J-20A con motores WS10C han entrado en servicio con la 172.ª Brigada Aérea de la Fuerza Aérea del Ejército Popular de Liberación (PLAAF). El avión también parece estar operativo con la Primera Brigada Aérea en la Base Aérea de Anshan en el Comando del Teatro del Norte de China a partir de abril de 2021 en adelante. Según Janes World Air Forces, un total de alrededor de 40 aviones están en servicio en la PLAAF.

Beijing no ha anunciado oficialmente que el J-20 se haya desplegado con el Comando de Teatro Sur del EPL.

El anuncio de Yukun sigue a los comentarios a mediados de marzo del general Kenneth Wilsbach, comandante de las Fuerzas Aéreas del Pacífico de EE. UU., de que los aviones estadounidenses se encontraron con los J-20 sobre el Mar de China Oriental.


 Jane

Maniobras navales entre la 7ma Flota y Singapur en el Mar del Sur de China

U.S., Singapore Navies Exercise Together in the South China Sea

USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10) and RSS Steadfast (FFG 70) during exercise (photos : USN, RSN)

SOUTH CHINA SEA – The Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10) and the Republic of Singapore Navy Formidable-class multi-role stealth frigate RSS Steadfast (FFS 70) conducted a bilateral exercise in the South China Sea, May 24-25.

The events were an opportunity for Gabrielle Giffords and Steadfast to practice and enhance bilateral interoperability between the two navies, with emphasis on the importance of communications and coordination while sailing together.

“Meeting our partners at sea gives our navies the opportunity to practice maritime proficiencies, and further strengthen the bond between both countries,” said Capt. Ann McCann, commodore of Destroyer Squadron 7. “Engaging with our network of partners in the region is essential to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

The events included a publication exercise, flashing light exercise, maneuvering exercise, large and small caliber gun shoots, and a photo exercise. All events were planned with an emphasis on COVID-19 social distancing measures, resulting in a successful multi-event exercise, with no in-person planning.

“This was the first time that Gabrielle Giffords Blue Crew sailed alongside the Singapore Navy at sea, and they demonstrated high tactical proficiency throughout the exercise,” said Cmdr. Dustin Lonero, commanding officer of Gabrielle Giffords Blue Crew. “Working with Steadfast was an excellent learning opportunity and gave us the chance to strengthen bonds, and enhance our mutual maritime professionalism in the shared naval environment.”

Exercise Pacific Griffin, U.S.-Singapore’s most complex naval exercise to date, occurred near Guam in October 2019 and was the last time the two countries exercised at sea.



Commanding Officer of RSS Steadfast, Lieutenant Colonel Carlin Song highlighted the importance of conducting the exercise.

“This exercise at sea provides both navies the opportunity to continue to hone our professional competencies and interoperability,” Song said. “Due to COVID-19, we had to conduct the exercise planning virtually. We were able to do so and execute the evolutions smoothly because of the good understanding that we have built over the years.”

The U.S. and Republic of Singapore navies work together on a number of initiatives at sea such as ASEAN-US Maritime Exercise (AUMX), Exercise Pacific Griffin, Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training (SEACAT), and Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC), as well as combined operations such as multi-national counter-piracy.

Attached to Destroyer Squadron 7, Gabrielle Giffords is on a rotational deployment to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of security and stability in the Indo-Pacific.

U.S. 7th Fleet conducts forward-deployed naval operations in support of U.S. national interests in the Indo-Pacific area of operations. As the U.S. Navy’s largest numbered fleet, 7th Fleet interacts with 35 other maritime nations to build partnerships that foster maritime security, promote stability, and prevent conflict.

C7Fleet