USNI News Western Pacific Pulse: Sept. 4, 2026

The following is a summary of major ship movements and exercises in the Western Pacific over the last week.

In Laem Chabang, Thailand

USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) arrives in Laem Chabang, Thailand, Sept. 2, 2026. US Navy photo Aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) pulled into Laem Chabang, Thailand on Wednesday for a port visit, marking its first full port stop since the start of its deployment in November 2025, which includes 286 days at sea and also comes after nearly seven months of operations in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. On the same day, air defence commander destroyer USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG-121) docked in nearby Sriracha while cruiser USS Robert Smalls (CG-62) arrived in Map Ta Phut for their own scheduled port visits.

In South China Sea

PLA drills over the South China Sea on Sept. 2, 2026. PLAAF image The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command (STC) conducted naval and air combat readiness patrols around Scarborough Shoal (called Huangyan Dao by China) on Wednesday. The PLA’s official social media channel China Military Bugle released a video of the patrols which included footage of air interceptions of Philippine aircraft by JL-10 fighter trainer aircraft. People’s Liberation Army Navy destroyer CNS Lanzhou (170) along with other PLAN ships were shown operating in the area along with J-16 fighter aircraft and a H-6 bomber, “Such patrols are aimed at further enhancing control of relevant sea areas and airspace and serve as an effective countermeasure to cope with all sorts of rights-violation and provocative acts. Huangyan Dao is China’s inherent territory.”, stated China Military Bugle.

In Indonesia

Marines with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 26, Indonesian marines with 7th Infantry Battalion, 4th Infantry Brigade, Republic of Korea marines with 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 6th Marine Brigade, and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force service members with 2nd Amphibious Rapid Deployment Regiment, Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade, stand at attention during an opening ceremony for Exercise Super Garuda Shield 26 at the Indonesian Marine Corps 7th Infantry Battalion base near Lampung, Indonesia, Aug. 31, 2026. US Marine Corps photo U.S. Pacific Command and the Indonesian Armed Forces together with personnel from 13 partner nations began Exercise Super Garuda Shield 2026 on Monday with 5000 personnel conducting drills in various locations throughout Indonesia from Monday to Sept. 11 including Bandung in West Java, Baturaja Combat Training Centre and Lampung in South Sumatera and North Kalimantan. Training includes engineering construction activities, staff training exercises, airborne operations, jungle training, air assault operations, a large field training exercise and combined arms live fire exercises, a Stinger missile live fire exercise, and a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) live fire exercise.

On Monday, Coast Guard cutters USCGC Charles Moulthrope (WPC-1141) and USCGC Emlen Tunnell (WPC-1145) pulled into North Jakarta and to participate in Super Garuda Shield, and on Wednesday Indonesian Kopaska naval special forces and U.S. Navy personnel carried out Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure (VBSS), Ship Boarding and Close Quarters Battle training on the docked Charles Moulthrope.

Marine Rotational Force-Darwin 26 (MRF-D 26) is participating in Super Garuda Shield, Approximately 230 Marines and Sailors from MRF-D 26 are carrying out drills in Lampung, South Sumatera with the Indonesian Marine Corps, Republic of Korea Marine Corps and the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade (ARDB). Training drills include mortar live firing and sniper live firing.

In Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia

David H. Gamble, Jr., left, U.S. Embassy Kuala Lumpur Chargé d’Affaires a.i., gives remarks during the Pacific Partnership 2026 (PP26) Malaysia mission stop opening ceremony in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, Sept. 3, 2026. US Navy photo The Malaysia phase of the U.S. Navy-led Pacific Partnership 2026 humanitarian and civic assistance mission began on Thursday in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. Royal Australian Navy (RAN) amphibious dock landing ship HMAS Choules (L100) is serving as the mission ship and had docked in earlier in Kota Kinabalu on Aug. 15. The RAN stated that Australian Defence Force (ADF) participation in Pacific Partnership will conclude after the Malaysia mission. Following Malaysia, the mission will continue in Tacloban, Philippines, and an ongoing enduring project in Palau, stated a navy release.

RAN frigate HMAS Perth (FFH 157), carried out a port visit from Aug. 27 to Tuesday to Kota Kinabalu, the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) stated that the frigate pulled in for replenishment and crew rest before sailing back to Australia. Perth departed on its 2026 regional presence deployment on Jul. 21, sailing from Fleet Base West in Western Australia.

In Guam

HMAS Sydney (DDG-42)US Navy photo In Guam on Sunday, maritime forces from the RAN, Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF), Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN), and U.S. Navy (USN) began maritime exercise Pacific Vanguard 2026. Participating ships and units include JMSDF destroyer JS Fuyuzuki (DD-118), a JMSDF submarine and a P-1 MPA, ROKN maritime staff support, RAN destroyer HMAS Sydney (DDG42); RCN frigate HMCS Regina (FFH334), an RNZAF P-8 Poseidon MPA, dry cargo ship USNS Charles Drew (T-AKE 10), and a U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon MPA.

In Jinhae Naval Base, South Korea

ROKS Dosan Ahn Changho (SS-083) ROKN submarine ROKS Dosan Ahn Changho (SS-083) returned to its home port of Jinhae Naval Base on Tuesday, completing a 161-day deployment to Canada and Hawaii and sailing a total of 28,000km in its deployment. The ROKN stated that during its participation in the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2026 exercise held in Hawaii from Jun. 24 – Jul. 31, Dosan Ahn Changho successfully conducted 28 simulated attacks without being detected.

In Busan, South Korea

Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold (DDG-65) arrives in Busan, Republic of Korea, for a scheduled port visit, Sept. 1, 2026. US Navy photo Destroyer USS Benfold (DDG-65) arrived in Busan on Tuesday for a scheduled port visit. Benfold is forward-deployed and assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15

In Sasebo, Japan

JS Chokai (DDG-176) returned on Aug. 30, 2026, to its homeport of Sasebo, Japan. Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force photo JMSDF destroyer JS Chokai (DDG-176) returned on Sunday to its homeport of Sasebo, Japan, after one year in the U.S. being outfitted to be Tomahawk cruise missile capable and conducting a live firing to qualify the ship and crew for Tomahawk operations. Chokai is the first of the JMSDF’s eight Aegis class destroyers to be outfitted for Tomahawk capability with the remaining destroyers also scheduled to be outfitted.

In Kure, Japan

Coast Guard servicemembers aboard assets from Port Security Unit (PSU) 311, Maritime Safety and Security Team (MSST) 91107 and Coast Guard Station Honolulu provide a safety escort of Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) LST-4003 JS Kunisaki into Naval Station Pearl Harbor, Honolulu, July 29, 2024, during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024. US Coast Guard photo JMSDF amphibious tank landing ship JS Kunisaki (LST-4003) with three embarked Japan JGSDF CH-47 helicopters departed Kure Naval Base on Sunday to head to Indonesia to carry out firefighting and relief operations.

In Yokosuka, Japan

ITS Giovanni delle Bande Nere (P434) Italian Navy multi role combat vessel ITS Giovanni delle Bande Nere (P434) docked in Yokosuka on Wednesday for a port visit. Giovanni delle Bande Nere is on an Indo-Pacific deployment and is now on its homeward bound leg following participation in RIMPAC 2026 and ballistic missile defence exercise Pacific Dragon in Hawaii.

In La Perouse Strait

JMSDF image On Monday, Russian Navy corvette RFS Rezkiy (343) was sighted sailing northeast in an area 110 km west of Rebun Island and subsequently sailed east through the strait to enter the Sea of Okhotsk. Japan’s Joint Staff Office (JSO) stated that JMSDF fast attack craft JS Kumataka (PG-827) and JMSDF P-3C Orion MPA of Fleet Air Wing 2 based at JMSDF Hachinohe Air Base on the main island of Honshu shadowed the Russian corvette. La Perouse Strait, which separates Hokkaido from Russia’s Sakhalin Island, is an international waterway which is regularly used by ships of the Russian Navy Pacific Fleet to transit between the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk.

In East China Sea

JMSDF image Chinese Y-9 electronic intelligence (ELINT) aircraft carried out two consecutive days of flights in the East China Sea waters near Japan from Thursday to Friday, according to JSO releases. On Thursday afternoon, a Y-9 flew in from China and flew over the East China Sea to the south of the Danjo Islands and then headed southwest. It turned while west of Okinawa to return to China. The following day, on Friday afternoon, a Y-9 flew in from China flew over the East China Sea to the south of the Danjo Islands before heading southwest and subsequently changed course while west of Okinawa to return to China. On both occasions, fighter aircraft from the Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s (JASDF) Western Air Defense Command and other units were scrambled. The JSO releases included photographs of the Y-9s taken by the intercepting fighters.

In Vladivostok, Russia

Amphibious landing ship RSF Oslyabya (066) departed Vladivostok to carry out the ‘Pacific Glory. Strength in Truth-2026’ patriotic deployment, reported state media Tass on Monday. Oslyabya is joined on the deployment by minesweeper RFS Anatoly Shlemov (651) and the first stop will be at the port city of Magadan. Strength in Truth is an annual deployment where ships of the Russian Navy Pacific Fleet carry out port visits to cities in the Russian Far East to highlight Russia’s role in the Pacific during World War II with the visits involving displays of military equipment and historical artifacts, military performances and commemoration ceremonies.

This post was written by Dzirhan Mahadzir.