CHINA-PLA NAVY: PLAN WARSHIPS EXERCISE IN PACIFIC OCEAN
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The Global Times on February 18, reported that a fleet of PLA Navy warships recently conducted an air defense exercise in the far seas of the Pacific Ocean. The fleet under the PLA Southern Theater Command Navy comprised the guided missile destroyer Hohhot, guided missile frigate Xianning, electronic surveillance ship Tianshuxing and replenishment ship Chaganhu. It held air defense drills at an undisclosed area in the Pacific Ocean. Beijing-based military expert Wei Dongxu told the Global Times that the drills demonstrated the Chinese Navy's "high capability of joint fleet air defense in the waters of Pacific Ocean". He added that China may face aerial threats from the US from the Pacific Ocean, so the Chinese Navy's drills in these waters could lead to a higher capability of defending against potential hostile attacks, pushing the defense line farther away from the mainland. The report said the fleet used a combination of missiles and the close-in weapon systems for the first time and the fleet successfully intercepted multiple waves of incoming target drones.
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