South China Sea: how the US Navy aims to better home in on targets

An American aircraft carrier strike group has been training personnel on the ground to help guide missiles

The exercise also involved Nato communications, to allow American forces to integrate with allies

Reading Time:3 minutes

The exercise was carried out by the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier strike group. Photo: US Navy

Published: 10:00pm, 27 Feb 2021Updated: 10:00pm, 27 Feb 2021

The US military aims to use troops on the ground to help multinational fleets more accurately guide missiles over longer ranges, an approach that analysts say could be used in the South China Sea.

In a drill in early February, the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier strike group sent US Navy Seal teams as well as a boat squad to establish forward bases to supplement intelligence from the strike group’s radars. Virtual warfare missions were also part of the exercise.

During the training, various vessels were used to get closer to simulated enemies and a number of units were mobilised for “mutual fire support”, according to Rear Admiral Scott Robertson.

Du Wenlong, a researcher at the PLA Academy of Military Sciences, said the Seals could be used to gather intelligence to help with air strikes.

“If the Seals were deployed to an island, either from air or by boat, and to conduct various reconnaissance to locate targets, this information can help the strike group better attack targets and boost their strike precision,” Du told state broadcaster CCTV.

The exercise was also significant in that it was the first time that Nato procedures and communication methods had been used to train US crews, a move designed to allow American forces to integrate with allies.