Peripheral military information demonstrates military capabilities and strengthens alliances

　　The United Kingdom and the United States form a joint aircraft carrier battle group to spoil the Asia-Pacific

　　Recently, the Royal Navy has released pictures of the "Queen Elizabeth" aircraft carrier battle group on social media to showcase its core maritime capabilities that it has made every effort to build.

Prior to this, the British and American defense ministers have formally signed an agreement to form a "Queen Elizabeth" aircraft carrier battle group in the spring of 2021 for joint deployment in the Asia-Pacific region.

　　According to British media reports, this nine-ship joint aircraft carrier battle group will be based on the British Royal Navy's "Queen Elizabeth" aircraft carrier, as well as the British "Diamond" and "The Defender" 45 destroyers, and the United States The Navy "Sullivan" guided-missile destroyer, and more than 3,000 British, American and Dutch naval officers and soldiers.

According to the agreement between the United States and Britain, the 211th Combat Attack Squadron of the US Marine Corps equipped with F-35B stealth fighters will be deployed on the "Queen Elizabeth" aircraft carrier.

　　The "Queen Elizabeth" conventionally powered aircraft carrier is the largest warship in the history of the British Navy. The ship started construction in July 2009, launched in July 2014, and entered service in December 2017. It pioneered a "skid jump" deck combined with electromagnetic ejection. The new concept of the aircraft can accommodate 36-40 carrier-based aircraft, including 4 helicopters and 36 fixed-wing aircraft, and its hangar can accommodate up to two squadrons with a total of 25 F-35B stealth fighters.

　　The "Queen Elizabeth" aircraft carrier is a new ship that has just formed combat effectiveness.

In the fall of 2020, the "Queen Elizabeth" aircraft carrier is still participating in the joint exercises held by NATO, conducting exercises on maritime coordination, maritime resupply and rescue with carrier-based aircraft, guided missile destroyers, and guided missile frigates to accelerate the formation of combat effectiveness.

On January 4, the British government officially announced that the British Navy’s first aircraft carrier battle group in 38 years had formed an initial combat capability, and the first combat deployment would follow.

　　According to the plan of the British Navy, the "Queen Elizabeth" aircraft carrier battle group mainly includes the Type 45 guided missile destroyer, the Type 26 guided guided missile frigate, and the "Smart" class attack nuclear submarine, as well as the corresponding logistical auxiliary ships.

However, the Type 26 guided missile frigate is not expected to enter service until the mid-1920s.

Therefore, the ideal aircraft carrier battle group of the British Navy will not be able to form a "full combat capability" until 2023.

　　The British government's joint formation of a new aircraft carrier battle group with the United States has aroused widespread concern.

In a statement to the British Parliament, British Prime Minister Johnson stated: "The aircraft carrier'Queen Elizabeth' under the Royal Navy will lead several destroyers and frigates of the Royal Navy to form an ocean-going fleet, which will be combined with allies into a task force. , Carrying out the largest military deployment of the British Navy in the past 20 years, heading to the Mediterranean and Indian Oceans, until reaching the East Asian waters, and performing joint military exercises and cruise missions with allied naval fleets in these waters."

　　There are two main considerations for this move in the UK.

On the one hand, the United Kingdom strives to improve its "sense of existence" by enhancing and demonstrating its military capabilities and participating in global hotspot affairs.

Since "Brexit", the United Kingdom has become more and more isolated in the international community.

Under such circumstances, it is necessary to restore its original international status in a positive, proactive, and even strong posture.

In 2019, the then Secretary of Defense of the United Kingdom Gavin Williamson stated that the United Kingdom may build military bases in the South China Sea, the Caribbean Sea and other regions, which will help the United Kingdom return to the world stage as a “true global player”.

　　On the other hand, Britain hopes to strengthen its ally with the United States through such measures, which is one of the most effective ways for Britain to restore its international status as soon as possible.

In 2021, the United Kingdom has actively invested in the largest defense budget since the end of the Cold War of 16.5 billion pounds, ensuring that its defense expenditure ranks first in Europe and the second place in NATO, thereby showing Britain's determination to strengthen relations with the United States as an ally of the United States.

In this regard, the United States also has the same strong demand, which has laid a solid political foundation for the two countries to continuously deepen the depth and breadth of their military alliance.

　　In this operation to form a joint aircraft carrier battle group to deploy to the Asia-Pacific region, the British Secretary of Defense Ben Wallace said, “The UK now has the 21st century aircraft carrier strike capability, which is inseparable from the firm support and support of the United States at all levels. Cooperation.” The United States also stated that “this deployment highlights the strength of bilateral relations and the interoperability of the United States and Britain. This is a key principle of the US defense strategy.”

　　In fact, the US and British navies have launched joint operations many times in recent years.

In May 2019, the USS "Donald Cook", "Porter", "Roosevelt" guided missile destroyers and the British Navy "Kent" frigate conducted joint operations in the Atlantic Barents Sea; September 2020, The British Navy "Sutherland" frigate, the US Navy "Ros" guided missile destroyer, and the Norwegian Navy "Tor Heldar" frigate form a surface battle group to conduct joint operations in the Arctic.

　　But for the British Navy, it is not easy to move towards the goal of "global deployment".

Judging from the existing naval power alone, there is still a sense of "powerlessness".

According to British media reports, there are currently many problems with the British navy’s main ships that have not yet been resolved. The "Queen Elizabeth" aircraft carrier has serious water leakage, and the power systems of the six Type 45 destroyers are all in danger of anchoring.

In fact, the deployment of the British Navy has already used half of its surface fleet.

For this reason, some outsiders believe that the British government's move is really "stubborn."

Zaitsev Vasily Petrovich, a Russian military expert on Asia-Pacific issues, said, “The British can’t wait to show off their strength and show off their muscles without their strength. There are huge hidden dangers in this.”

　　According to British media reports, the British ocean-going fleet will conduct joint naval exercises with the Indian Navy, the Korean Navy, and the U.S. Navy in the Pan-Indian Ocean, the South China Sea, the East China Sea, and other areas around China. The basis of ocean-going combat power and combat readiness.

　　In order to ensure a military presence in the Asia-Pacific region, in July 2020, the British "Times" reported that the British army has formulated a plan to establish a base for the "Queen Elizabeth" aircraft carrier battle group in the Far East.

This time, the British government indicated that during the activities in the Asia-Pacific region, the "Queen Elizabeth" aircraft carrier battle group will set up a supply base in Japan.

It can be seen from this that the focus of the joint aircraft carrier battle group activities of the United States and Britain is in the Asia-Pacific region, especially the South China Sea.

　　The main reason for choosing this hot spot is that the United States has long been conducting so-called "freedom of navigation" activities in the South China Sea in order to demonstrate its military hegemony.

At the same time, in order to reduce its own burden, the United States has been encouraging its allies to join the ranks.

It is precisely in order to meet and meet the strategic needs of the United States that the United Kingdom has taken the initiative to return to the Asia Pacific.

　　In this regard, British expert David Dodwell publicly called for "Those in the United Kingdom who are eager to reestablish the status of a global military power should quickly converge", because this will undermine the stability of East Asia.

In addition, in response to the British Navy’s announcement that it will send the "Queen Elizabeth" aircraft carrier to the South my country Sea, the spokesperson of the Ministry of National Defense Tan Kefei stated on December 31, 2020 that the South China Sea should not become a sea of ​​great powers and gunboats.

At present, with the joint efforts of China and ASEAN countries, the situation in the South China Sea is generally stable.

Countries from outside the region traveled all the way to the South China Sea to show off their power, stir up incidents, and create tensions. These are the fundamental reasons for the "militarization" of the South China Sea.

The Chinese military will take necessary measures to resolutely defend national sovereignty, security, and development interests, and resolutely maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea.

　　Wang Peng Source: China Youth Daily