Source: China Military Network · China Military Horn
28 March to 8 April
The United States and the Philippines opened
The largest joint military exercise in history
"Shoulder to Shoulder -2022" joint exercise
On March 28, the United States and the Philippines held the opening ceremony of the "shoulder to shoulder" military exercise in Manila. Source: CCTV News
During the military exercise, a US warship attracted particular attention
It was the expedition base ship Miguel Keith
USS Miguel Keith expedition base ship. Infographic
The ship is named after U.S. Marine Corps Vietnam War veterans
Named after Miguel Keith
Commissioned in May 2021
It is one of 3 expeditionary base ships deployed by the U.S. Navy
presently
Three U.S. expeditionary base ships
Global deployment has been achieved
They are
The Louis Puller has been deployed in the Middle East for a long time
In the name of countering mines and maintaining maritime security
Confronted Iran in the Strait of Hormuz
The Herschel Williams is deployed
Naval Base in Suda Bay, Crete, Greece
For tasks such as Syria, the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, etc
But in recent years it has often appeared in the African region
The third is the Miguel Keith
Deployed directly to the U.S. Seventh Fleet
The home port is located on Saipan, a key node in the western Pacific
USS Miguel Keith expedition base ship. Source: CCTV Military
USS Miguel Keith expedition base ship
It is about 240 meters long
The displacement is more than 90,000 tons
Diesel-electric hybrid unit is adopted
The maximum speed is 15 knots
The maximum range is 9,500 nautical miles (about 17,594 km)
Second only to the U.S. military's active nuclear-powered aircraft carrier
It is currently the world's largest tonnage conventional power ship
USS Miguel Keith expedition base ship. Source: CCTV Military
Expedition base ships have double-decked extended decks
The upper floor is a flight deck of more than 4800 square meters
It can accommodate 4 heavy helicopters
2 large hangars
It even has the ability to take off and land helicopters at night
The lower deck is the mission deck
Modular container mission compartment
Stores large quantities of supplies, minesweepers, speedboats, weapons and ammunition
"Modular" technology is also available
to "Implement Multi-Purpose Platform Functionality"
Install the Field Hospital module
It can be "transformed" into a hospital ship to conduct epidemic prevention exercises
The interior maintenance area of the expedition base ship. Infographic
Install the "Large Crane and Repair Dock" module
It can be used as a temporary maintenance base at sea
Provide logistical support services
As the "largest conventional warship" in active service
Can support a variety of combat missions
Such as forward operations, mine warfare, and small landing warfare
Maritime rescue and other special operations, etc
USS Miguel Keith expedition base ship. Source: CCTV Military
The Miguel Keith was received several times
Touted by the Pentagon, the U.S. Navy, and the Military Industrial Group
At the service ceremony in May 2021
Farrer, commander of the U.S. Southern Command, has said
In future overseas deployments and military operations
It will have
"Floating docks, equipment assembly platforms,
Command and control nodes and maritime aviation support bases"
4 core functions
Observe the deployment and application of the ship around the world
Its status is also quite special
The U.S. Naval Association website states
The ship also has the functions of a front-line command and a special forces base
More main battleships can be "liberated"
Concentrate on "more important" tasks
USS Miguel Keith expedition base ship. Infographic
Recently
With the deepening of the transformation of the US military
The structural composition and function of logistics support ships are constantly changing
"Expedition base" has become
The United States is an important tool for maintaining its hegemonic status
Since service deployment
Basically in a "full" state of combat readiness
The U.S.-Philippines joint military exercise is the ship
For the second time this year as a "floating platform"
Participate in joint U.S. and allied military exercises
The first time was to participate in the U.S.-Japan "Noble Integration" exercise in February this year
The Miguel Keith acted
A more stealthy and flexible low-end fleet base
Construction of simple bases in coastal and nearshore areas
In line with what the U.S. Marine Corps has advocated in recent years
The concept of "expeditionary base operations"
That is achieved with low cost and technology
The purpose of "advanced and sufficiently lethal weapons platform"
USS Miguel Keith expedition base ship. Infographic
In the western Pacific Ocean
USS Miguel Keith expedition base ship
Dynamic deployment in the adjacent waters of the exercise area
Act as a "high-end war" situation
"Ammunition and Fuel Replenishment Points"
meantime
It supplies scattered U.S. warships
Becoming a "key link" in the U.S. Navy's "distributed kill" concept
USS Miguel Keith expedition base ship. Infographic
During the Okinawa deployment
The ship was repeatedly of the same type as the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
And small ships in synergy
Drills in "less than armed conflict" environments
Maintain combat capability within the defensive zone
Shaping the posture for possible combat operations
Foreign media said
USS Miguel Keith expedition base ship
Or will play a role in the "gray area" war
USS Miguel Keith expedition base ship. Infographic
The expedition base ship looks super huge
But construction technique and difficulty
Not comparable to aircraft carriers, etc
The hull design of this type of ship is derived from civilian tankers and container ships
When designing and building
A large number of civilian standards are used
Therefore, the construction speed is much faster than that of conventional warships
The price is also relatively cheap
Enables batch and rapid construction
Looks like a "Big Mac"
But there are huge hidden dangers
Experts point out
The most typical is that there are hidden dangers in the use of materials
Yield strength of steel for ordinary civilian ships
Only 200 to 300 MPa
And the destroyer class is about to be reached
500 to 600 MPa
Aircraft carriers are more demanding
Other than that
The basic type of the ship is a freighter
Weak structure
Once hit by artillery fire
The damage to the hull will be greater and easier to sink
U.S. military expeditionary base ship "Miguel Keith" deployed to Japan. U.S. Navy map
Survival is equally lackluster!
October 2021
The ship was in big trouble
In a state of complete idleness that is out of use
According to the U.S. Seventh Fleet
Rubble debris that erupted on a large scale by submarine volcanoes near Japan
Clogs the filter of the seawater tank
Over time
Plagues almost the entire engineering installation
Suddenly became an "outsider on the field"
An undersea volcano erupts
This huge ship was incapacitated for a long time
You can see how fragile it is!
Besides
The ship did not have even the most basic naval guns
There is no guarantee of your own safety
Its battlefield survivability is very weak
It must rely on other frigates and destroyers
Even the aircraft carrier gives it a "bodyguard"
in order to ensure safe use
USS Miguel Keith expedition base ship. Infographic
nevertheless
The U.S. military still wants to use it to make waves all over the world
The head of the U.S. Southern Command has said
The USS Miguel Keith can
Traveled around the world during his service
For example, the Caribbean Sea, the South China Sea and the Strait of Hormuz
He also declared
The ship's ships will travel to the forefront of global conflicts
Confront the threats facing the United States
Especially China
March 21
Satellites were found near the Bashi Strait in the South China Sea
The Miguel Keith is heading for the South China Sea
Source: South China Sea Strategic Situational Awareness Program website
This is since the ship was deployed to the Western Pacific last October
First time in the South China Sea
Afternoon of March 31
Ministry of National Defense spokesperson Wu Qian
Highlighted at a regular press conference
China's views on the South China Sea Zhudao and its adjacent waters
Have indisputable sovereignty
The US military traveled thousands of miles to the South China Sea to seek quarrels and provoke trouble
What exactly is the intention?
Regional countries see clearly!
Facts proved
The United States is the biggest driver of militarization in the South China Sea
It is the biggest spoiler and troublemaker of regional peace and stability
China and the United States are two big countries
Combining is mutually beneficial, and fighting hurts both
Standing at a new historical starting point
It is hoped that the US side and the Chinese side will move in the same direction
Learn from historical experience and wisdom
Promote the return of relations between the two countries and two militaries as soon as possible
Healthy and stable right track
Make a greater contribution to peace and tranquillity in the world
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