Australia and New Zealand forces are tracking a Chinese surface action group operating off the island of Tasmania in Australia’s exclusive economic zone, both militaries announced this week.
On Tuesday, Australia’s Defense Department issued an update on the PLAN task group comprising of group cruiser CNS Zunyi (107), frigate CNS Hengyang (568) and fleet oiler CNS Weishanhu (887) which has been operating around the Tasman Sea.
The formation, dubbed Chinese Task Group 107 was now operating approximately 160 nautical miles east of Hobart, inside of Australia’s Exclusive Economic Zone having entered the Australian EEZ on Tuesday morning.
“Defense continues to monitor the Task Group while it remains in the vicinity of Australia’s maritime approaches, and is coordinating closely with the New Zealand Defence Force,” read the update.
The update also stated that Australia expects all militaries operating in the region to engage transparently, maintain the highest standards of safety and professionalism, and we encourage all states to maintain open communication to ensure their actions support regional security and stability, “We respect the right of all states under international law to exercise freedom of navigation and overflight in international waters and airspace, just as we expect others to respect our right to do the same,” concluded the update.
Australian officials also released several images taken from the air of the PLAN task group.
On Saturday the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) opened a landing page on its website dedicated to releases on the PLAN task group.
The NZDF release on Saturday stated that on the afternoon of that day, the PLAN task group transmitted a radio message of its intention to conduct live firing, the second such event since Friday’s firing. The release stated that personnel on Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) frigate HMNZS Te Kaha (F77) reported observing Zunyi firing its main gun, “The NZDF has worked closely with other agencies as this response has developed, including the Civil Aviation Authority to help ensure aviation safety is maintained”, read the release which also stated that New Zealand continues to coordinate closely with Australia with Te Kaha and Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) P-8A Poseidons together with Australian naval and air units watching the task group while fleet oiler HMNZS Aotearoa (A11) was operating in the vicinity of Bass Strait to provide replenishment support to Australian and New Zealand naval vessels as required.
A Tuesday release provided the same location as Australia’s release and also stated that Aotearoa was now monitoring the PLAN task group along with Te Kaha and the RNZAF P-8s.
Meanwhile, the U.S. and Japan began a ballistic missile defense drill in Japan on Monday that will tie together Japanese and American units
The Japan Self-Defense Forces and U.S. will carry out Fleet Synthetic Training – Joint (FST-J) 25-71 also known as Resilient Shield, at commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan, and other command centers throughout the region this week, according to a U.S Navy release.
Resilient Shield provides integrated computer-generated BMD training to commands ashore and ships, Patriot batteries, according to the release.
The Resilient Shield series of exercises is focused on improving the operational capabilities of the joint U.S. forces and Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) for BMD. “With this year’s Resilient Shield 25, our joint and combined U.S.-Japan team continues to advance our collective ballistic missile defense,” said Vice Adm. Fred Kacher, commander, U.S. 7 Fleet in the release, “This exercise presents our teams with dynamic, realistic BMD scenarios meant to sharpen our reflexes and harden our defenses as we provide an all-domain missile defense capability to the Indo-Pacific theater.”
Units included destroyers USS Benfold (DDG-65), USS Higgins (DDG-76) and USS Shoup (DDG-86), Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) destroyers JS Kongo (DDG-173 and JS Ashigara (DDG-178) with additional participants including the 613th Air Operations Center, 94th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, 38th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, E-3 Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Battery, 1st Battalion 1st Air Defense Artillery Regiment, Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.
“The successful defense of the U.S. and our allies from ballistic missile threats requires detailed planning, precision ship stationing and quick defensive reactions. In turn, the BMD mission is one of many that the U.S. and its allies and partners practice routinely to maintain maximum proficiency and interoperability,” reads the release.
A Japan Joint Staff Office release on Feb. 13 release stated that the Resilient Shield exercise has been conducted since 2017 and is the eighth time it is being held, “The training aims to improve tactical skills and strengthen cooperation to build a robust missile defense network between Japan and the U.S., and to improve interoperability. Through such training, the Self-Defense Forces and the U.S. military will maintain and strengthen their posture and capabilities to actively contribute to regional peace and stability”, read the JSO release.
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