The Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong continues its rapid movements toward and away from the Pacific. According to information released by Japan’s Ministry of Defense Joint Staff Office, on April 25, the Shandong carrier strike group returned to the South China Sea. Based on the route published by Japan, the Shandong transited through the Babuyan Channel on its way back. Japan’s Sasebo-based Escort Flotilla 1 deployed the Akizuki-class destroyer JS Ariake (DD-109) to monitor and track the group.
The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) observed that the Shandong carrier strike group included the Type 055 destroyers Yan’an and Xianyang, the Type 052D destroyer Zhanjiang, and the Type 054A frigate Hengshui. Between April 23 and April 25, the JMSDF recorded a total of 130 aircraft operations from the Shandong — 70 sorties by J-15 carrier-based fighters and 60 sorties by carrier-based helicopters.
Japan also released photos of the Shandong and the Yan’an, with indications that the Yan’an may have been tasked with intercepting Japanese vessels that were tracking the carrier group.
Earlier, on April 23, Japan’s Ministry of Defense Joint Staff Office reported that around 11 a.m. local time (10 a.m. Beijing time), the JMSDF confirmed the presence of the Shandong and the Yan’an approximately 790 kilometers south of Miyako Island, east of Luzon Island in the Philippine Sea.
Separately, a post by the Daily Tribune on social media cited the Philippine military as saying that on April 22, a reconnaissance aircraft photographed the Shandong sailing approximately 2.23 nautical miles southwest of Babuyan Island. On the same day, a Type 815A electronic reconnaissance ship, hull number 797, was also spotted. The photos captured by the Philippines showed the Shandong moving eastward through either the Balintang Channel or the Babuyan Channel into the Pacific.
This marks the second time this month that the Shandong has crossed the island chains into the Pacific for activities, and its second far-sea operation this year. Earlier, Japan’s Joint Staff Office had reported on April 1–2 that the Shandong was operating east of the Bashi Channel in the Pacific and conducting carrier-based aircraft operations.
Meanwhile, photos released by the U.S. DVIDS website show that the U.S. Navy’s USS Nimitz (CVN-68) carrier strike group is currently deployed in the Philippine Sea under the Seventh Fleet’s area of operations, as part of its 22nd and final operational deployment.
Notably, April 26 marks the 8th anniversary of the launch of China’s domestically built aircraft carrier Shandong.
