USS Ronald Reagan docks in Busan as show of force against DPRK

World
Europe

A US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier is making a port call in South Korea's southern city of Busan. The massive ship took part in joint naval exercises with South Korea, and is seen as a show of force amid the tensions over Pyongyang’s recent missile and nuclear weapons tests.

Having spent a week conducting combat drills with South Korea’s navy, the United States’ Reagan Carrier Strike Group headed to Busan. At its heart is the USS Ronald Reagan, docking with a large portion of its aerial firepower on show.

"We have about 70 aircraft on board, a combination of strike fighter aircraft like the F-18 and variants," according to Navy spokesperson David Levy. "Behind us we have the E2D early warning aircraft, as well as two types of helicopter squadrons on board."

An F/A-18F Super Hornet attached to the Diamondbacks of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 102 prepares to launch from flight deck of the US Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). /US Navy Photo

At 100,000 tons and with a crew of about 5,000, the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier is the largest American warship now deployed in Asia.

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) calls the Reagan, and the accompanying carrier group, a provocation.

Pyongyang says its own nuclear and missile programs are a response to the constant US-South Korea joint exercises which it sees as a rehearsal for a possible invasion.

Seoul and Washington argue the exercises are a purely defensive routine happening since the 1950s.

"We have been conducting these routinely scheduled, transparent exercises for the entire duration of that alliance," Rear Admiral Marc Dalton said. "The purpose of those exercises it to enable the combined defense of ROK, and have been throughout."

South Korean President Moon Jae-in recently struck an agreement with US President Donald Trump to make the deployment of assets – like the Ronald Reagan as well as strategic bombers – more routine.

This move is likely to further anger Pyongyang, which has conducted more missile tests under Kim Jong Un that under his father and grandfather combined. An unprecedented spate of weapons tests by Pyongyang, which include two missiles that flew over Japan and a sixth nuclear test, have further raised tensions in East Asia.