US Aircraft Carrier Reagan Arrives at Busan Port

US Aircraft Carrier Docking After 7 Months... Participation in ROK-US-Japan Anti-Piracy Drill

The U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) arrived at Busan Naval Base on the 12th. This visit is intended to demonstrate the United States' extended deterrence commitment and also commemorate the 70th anniversary of the South Korea-U.S. alliance. This is the first visit by a U.S. aircraft carrier to South Korea in seven months since the USS Nimitz visited in March, and the USS Ronald Reagan last visited in September of last year.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Carrier Strike Group 5 consists of the USS Ronald Reagan, the Aegis cruiser USS Antietam (CG-54), the USS Robert Smalls (CG-62), and the Aegis destroyer USS Spruance (DDG-86), and is part of the U.S. 7th Fleet based in Yokosuka, Japan.

After participating in the trilateral maritime interdiction and anti-piracy exercises conducted in international waters southeast of Jeju Island on the 9th and 10th, the USS Ronald Reagan arrived in Busan. These exercises were conducted to enhance the deterrence and response capabilities of South Korea, the U.S., and Japan against the increasingly sophisticated North Korean nuclear and missile threats, and to improve trilateral maritime operational capabilities for responding to maritime security threats and establishing a rules-based international order.

The U.S. Carrier Strike Group 5, including the USS Ronald Reagan, will remain at Busan Naval Base until the 16th, engaging in ship visits and friendly sports activities to promote goodwill between South Korea and the U.S. A public tour program will also be provided.