The United States has conducted its largest military formation exercise to date in the South China Sea region, demonstrating an impressive array of supersonic stealth jets, attack helicopters, and military drones.
This powerful display, known as “Elephant Walk,” involved 53 U.S. military aircraft and took place at the Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan.
Pictures of the formation, which was put up just 400miles off the coast of China, captured multiple US fighter jets in a tight formation.
They were put behind advanced military choppers and were flanked by air defence systems on both sides.
Attack drones and naval aircraft were a part of the formation, while larger aircraft were staged behind the fighter jets’ formation.
The event showcased a diverse collection of cutting-edge military aircraft, including 24 F-35A jets from the US Air Force, eight F-15E fighters, and six HH-60 Jolly Green II helicopters.
Two MQ-9 Reapers, two MC-130J Commando IIS and six KC-135 Stratotankers were also present.
The formation was guarded by two US Army MIM-104 Patriot air defence systems.
US military’s 18th Wing Command Chief Master Sergeant Brandon Wolfgang said: An elephant walk like this sends a message you can’t ignore—it shows our Airmen, allies, and adversaries that we’re united, capable, and ready.
Meanwhile, 18th Wing Commander Brigadier General Nicholas Evans said the Air Force’s ability to “project airpower” alongside its allies “demonstrates our commitment to the alliance with Japan and to maintaining stability across the Indo-Pacific.”
The military formation is understood to be one of the largest in recent history.
In 2020, a 52-aircraft formation was put up for display at Hill Air Force Base in Utah.
It comes after a top US admiral has warned that China will soon be able to defeat the US in a war over Taiwan.
The chilling warning comes amid fears that China is preparing for a full-scale invasion of the island as it masses warships and submarines.
Commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, Admiral Samuel Paparo, raised the alarm at the McCain Institute’s annual Sedona Forum in Arizona on Friday.
The admiral said that while the US would defeat China in a war over Taiwan now, it may soon lose its advantage, as reported by the Financial Times.
Paparo said: “The United States will prevail in the conflict as it stands now, with the force that we have right now.”
But he added: “Our trajectory on . . . really every force element that is salient is a bad trajectory.”
China has ramped up its production of weapons including warships and submarines – and the US doesn’t seem to be able to keep up.
According to Paparo, for every 1.8 warships made in the US each year China builds an impressive six.
And for every 1.4 submarines made in the US, it builds two.
The warning comes as China continues to expand its military exercises around Taiwan, as fears of an invasion mount.
Paparo fuelled fears of an attack, saying that Beijing is rehearsing “the full spectrum of military operations” – from a direct invasion of the island to a naval blockade.
This comes as Taiwan reported at least 19 Chinese warships as well as the large Shandong aircraft carrier patrolling nearby last month.
When asked whether the US would support military intervention in Taiwan, he responded: “A lesson in history is that people are always saying America will never get in a fight, but it’s not the track record.”
But if China continues to ramp up its weapons production the US may not be able to protect the island.
Why does China want to invade Taiwan?
TAIWAN insists it is an independent nation after splitting from mainland China amid civil war in 1949.
But China claims Taiwan remains a part of its territory with which it must eventually be reunified – and has not ruled out the use of force to take the island and place it under Beijing’s control.
The island, which is roughly 100 miles from the coast of south-east China, sees itself as distinct from the Chinese mainland, with its own constitution and democratically-elected leaders.
Taiwan sits in the so-called “first island chain”, which includes a list of US-friendly territories that are crucial to Washington’s foreign policy in the region.
This also puts it in an ideal situation to slow a Chinese attack on the West.
And with tensions between the two nations high, Taiwan is likely to aid China’s enemy if it means keeping its independence.
Taiwan’s economy is another factor in China’s desperation to reclaim the land.
If China takes the island, it could be freer to project power in the western Pacific and rival the US, thanks to much of the world’s electronics being made in Taiwan.
This would allow Beijing to have control over an industry that drives the global economy.
China insists that its intentions are peaceful, but President Xi Jinping has also used threats towards the small island nation.
And China may have more weapons than previously thought.
Google Maps images exposed China’s secret submarine fleet back in April.
The shocking pictures showed six nuke boats massed at a Chinese base.
These included two of the deadly Type 091 submarines, two Type 093A and one chillingly unidentified submarine.
The base – dubbed the First Submarine Base – is located 18km east of Qingdao in the Yellow Sea, meaning there’s easy access to the East China Sea and the Sea of Japan.
Australian independent naval analyst Alex Luck posted the shocking images to X.
In the post, he said that five nuclear-powered subs seen on the base were conventionally armed.
