US Navy deploys more advanced carrier to Japan
The US Navy has deployed one of its most advanced aircraft carriers to Japan in a move ‘to bolster’ America’s naval fleet in the region and ‘boost’ trans-Pacific ties with its Asian ally.
The Thursday docking of USS Ronald Reagan at the US Navy's Yokosuka base in Yokosuka near Tokyo marks the start of a deployment that will strengthen the capability of the US Navy’s Seventh Fleet in Asia and boost ties between the United States and its closest regional ally, Reuters reported.
With a crew of 5,000 sailors and a compliment of around 80 aircraft, USS Ronald Reagan is equipped with the latest targeting and defense radars, integrated weapons systems and command and communications technology.
The USS Ronald Reagan's deployment also marks an upgrade, as the USS George Washington, the carrier it has replaced in Japan, had less advanced systems and technology.
"Just like a new car we have the latest and greatest, we have GPS, we have the back up mirror so we can see what is behind us," Captain Chris Bolt, the carrier's commander, told a separate press briefing on the dock at Yokosuka naval base.
In a tilt towards Asia, the United States is rebalancing its forces, deploying 60 percent of its navy to the region, including its most advanced vessels, the report added.
The move follows Japan’s retreat from 70 years of state pacifism, after lawmakers approved legislation last month that would enable the Japanese military to fight overseas for the first time since World War Two.
USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) is a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered super carrier in the service of the United States Navy.
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