THE US 7th Fleet, during flight operations off Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, has spotted two Chinese frigates in the area.In a statement released by its public affairs office, the 7th Fleet said the Chinese warships, one bearing the bow number “572,” was spotted by an MH-60 “Knighthawk” helicopter flying off the USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19), the fleet’s flagship.
The American ship was conducting routine training operations in the vicinity of Scarborough Shoal when the Chinese ships were seen.“A Chinese People’s Liberation Army [Navy] vessel is seen from an MH-60 helicopter assigned to USS Blue Ridge [LCC 19] while conducting flight operations in support of maritime security operations in the South China Sea. The aircraft is part of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron [HSC] 12, under way with the embarked US 7th Fleet staff aboard Blue Ridge, building relationships and furthering interoperability with allies and partners in the Indo-Asia-Pacific,” its statement added.
The US 7th Fleet said that it has around 70 to 80 ships and submarines at its disposal along with 150 aircraft, and added that it operates 365 days throughout the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.
“It’s not uncommon for 7th Fleet to have ships and aircraft operating simultaneously in the Yellow Sea, East Sea and South China Sea. The Blue Ridge flight operations in the photos are part of our routine presence in international waters, with the goal of providing security and stability for all maritime nations,” it concluded.
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/index.php/en/news/nation/31890-chinese-frigates-spotted-off-panatag-shoal-us-7th-fleet
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