US strengthens Asia-Pacific defences by deploying floating base for helicopters and hovercraft to Okinawa
- The deployment of the USS Miguel Keith, America’s latest expeditionary staging base, follows a series of joint drills involving US carriers
- One analyst said these exercises are a way of reminding the PLA of the superior strength of the forces the US can muster
The USS Miguel Keith, an expeditionary staging base designed to transport large quantities of equipment and serve as a floating base for helicopters and hovercraft, was deployed to the White Beach naval base on the Japanese island on Friday, the US Navy said in a statement.
It will join the Seventh Fleet’s Expeditionary Strike Group and Marine Expeditionary Force, the statement added.
The Lewis B Puller-class vessel has a length of 240 metres (787 feet) and can provide logistical support for naval operations.
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PLA tests its amphibious combat capability during beach-landing drill on China’s southeastern coast
Macau-based military observer Antony Wong Tong said its presence further reinforces the American defences along the first island chain, a line of Pacific islands stretching from Japan to the Malay Peninsula, including Taiwan.