US Navy Ramps Up Aircraft Carrier Deployments in Signal to China

At least five U.S. aircraft carriers are set to be deployed in the western Pacific this year. The display of naval power, accounting for nearly half of the country’s 11 nuclear-powered supercarriers, is a clear reminder to Beijing, which is rapidly expanding its own military footprint, that it is not alone. The Nimitz-class carriers, each nearly 1,100 feet long and capable of carrying around 90 aircraft, are also a signal to allies of Washington’s resolve to step up its presence in a region. Hot spots in the East and South China seas, as well as Taiwan, have the potential to…