The USS Gridley (DDG-101), an Arleigh-Burke Class Destroyer, on Monday arrived for a “routine port call” in Manila, the United States embassy here said. “This visit will allow the ship to replenish supplies as well as give the crew an opportunity for rest and relaxation,” the embassy said in a statement. It did not say how long the battleship will stay in the country.... The destroyer is the fourth to visit the country this year. On October 24, USS Cowpens (CG-63) and USS McCampbell (DDG-85) escorted the USS George Washington Carrier Strike Group (CVN-73) to Manila. Prior to this, the destroyer USS Milius visited the country. Also this year alone, the country was host of the USS Bonehomme Richard, a landing assault ship; submarine tender USS Frank Cable; and four nuclear-powered submarines – USS Olympia (SSN-717), USS North Carolina, USS Hawaii, and USS Louisville (SSN 724). Visits of different warships of the US Pacific Command (USPACOM) in the country have become frequent this year following the increased military presence of China in connection with the disputed Spratly Islands partly located in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). The Philippines and US has an existing Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) and a separate Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) that allow visits of US warships and troops in the country as well as joint Philippine-US military exercises. Because of the increasing tension in the West Philippine Sea, the US government said it will increase its presence in the Asia-Pacific to protect its political and economic interest in the region....
Sunday, November 18, 2012
4th US destroyer on 'routine' port call in Manila
From Rappler (Nov 19): 4th US destroyer on 'routine' port call in Manila
The USS Gridley (DDG-101), an Arleigh-Burke Class Destroyer, on Monday arrived for a “routine port call” in Manila, the United States embassy here said. “This visit will allow the ship to replenish supplies as well as give the crew an opportunity for rest and relaxation,” the embassy said in a statement. It did not say how long the battleship will stay in the country.... The destroyer is the fourth to visit the country this year. On October 24, USS Cowpens (CG-63) and USS McCampbell (DDG-85) escorted the USS George Washington Carrier Strike Group (CVN-73) to Manila. Prior to this, the destroyer USS Milius visited the country. Also this year alone, the country was host of the USS Bonehomme Richard, a landing assault ship; submarine tender USS Frank Cable; and four nuclear-powered submarines – USS Olympia (SSN-717), USS North Carolina, USS Hawaii, and USS Louisville (SSN 724). Visits of different warships of the US Pacific Command (USPACOM) in the country have become frequent this year following the increased military presence of China in connection with the disputed Spratly Islands partly located in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). The Philippines and US has an existing Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) and a separate Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) that allow visits of US warships and troops in the country as well as joint Philippine-US military exercises. Because of the increasing tension in the West Philippine Sea, the US government said it will increase its presence in the Asia-Pacific to protect its political and economic interest in the region....
The USS Gridley (DDG-101), an Arleigh-Burke Class Destroyer, on Monday arrived for a “routine port call” in Manila, the United States embassy here said. “This visit will allow the ship to replenish supplies as well as give the crew an opportunity for rest and relaxation,” the embassy said in a statement. It did not say how long the battleship will stay in the country.... The destroyer is the fourth to visit the country this year. On October 24, USS Cowpens (CG-63) and USS McCampbell (DDG-85) escorted the USS George Washington Carrier Strike Group (CVN-73) to Manila. Prior to this, the destroyer USS Milius visited the country. Also this year alone, the country was host of the USS Bonehomme Richard, a landing assault ship; submarine tender USS Frank Cable; and four nuclear-powered submarines – USS Olympia (SSN-717), USS North Carolina, USS Hawaii, and USS Louisville (SSN 724). Visits of different warships of the US Pacific Command (USPACOM) in the country have become frequent this year following the increased military presence of China in connection with the disputed Spratly Islands partly located in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). The Philippines and US has an existing Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) and a separate Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) that allow visits of US warships and troops in the country as well as joint Philippine-US military exercises. Because of the increasing tension in the West Philippine Sea, the US government said it will increase its presence in the Asia-Pacific to protect its political and economic interest in the region....
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Philippine media periodically attempts to link the recently announced "Pivot to Asia" policy with increased U.S. Navy ship visits to the Philippines and Manila's problems with Bejing in the Spratly Islands/West Philippine Sea.
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