THE US has staged its biggest military attack formation ever in the South China Sea region – showcasing supersonic stealth jets, attack helicopters and military drones.
The show of power, dubbed “Elephant Walk”;, was formed using 53 US military aircraft and was put up in a display atthe US military base in Kadena Air BaseinOkinawa, Japan.
Pictures of the formation, which was put up just 400miles off the coast of China, captured multiple in a tight formation.
They were put behind 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 military spectacle featured a wide array of advanced military aircraft, including 24 US Air Force F-35As, eight U.S. Air Force F-15Es, six HH-60 Jolly Green IIs choppers.
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 .
The chilling warning comes amid fears thatis preparing for aof 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 inon Friday.
The admiral said that while the US would defeatin a war overnow, it may soon lose its advantage, as reported by theFinancial Times.
Paparo said: “Thewill 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 thatis rehearsing “the fullspectrumof military operations”; – from a direct invasion of the island to a naval blockade.
This comes as Taiwanreported 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 inis 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.
And China may have more weapons than previously thought.
images exposedback 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 ofJapan.
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.
