南海情勢緊張 美第三艦隊擬協防西太平洋○自由(2015.09.28)

【Comment】

Admiral Scott Swift, the Commander of the US Pacific Fleet, expressed an operational shift lately.  The vessels of the 3^rd Fleet might be allowed to carry out missions and give support in the AOR of the 7^th Fleet to meet greater regional instability. 

The shift and the cover of vessels are not new, yet it is unusual to draw the picture in two speeches of the Commander of the US PAFLT.

Admiral Scott Swift visited Yokosuga, the HQ of the US 7^th Fleet on September 7^th and he expressed that Admiral Nora Tyson, the Commander of the US 3rd Fleet, will attend JMSDF’s international fleet review on October 18^th.

This might be meant to remind PLAN of the mighty muscle of the US Navy.    revised at 1945

南海緊張 美國第三艦隊或巡邏西太平洋○BBC(2015.09.27)

美國太平洋艦隊司令斯科特·斯威夫特上將（Scott Swift）希望，第三艦隊從美國聖迭戈的總部朝著西太平洋擴大軍事行動，與駐防日本的第七艦隊更加緊密地合作。

路透社報道，斯威夫特上將近來兩場演說幾乎沒有引起媒體關注；但他在演說中，質疑有必要沿著國際日期變更線劃分行政界線，將第七艦隊的轄區限定在西太平洋，而第三艦隊負責管轄國際日期變更線以東地區。

美國海軍官員表示，日本10月18日將舉行每3年1次的海上閱兵演習，展示海上自衛隊的軍力，屆時美國將由第三艦隊司令、海軍中將諾拉·泰森（Nora Tyson）代表出席，而非由第七艦隊司令代表。這便初步透露了美國戰略將改弦易轍的信息。

斯威夫特9月7日訪問第七艦隊在日本橫須賀的總部時發表演說表示，「看到泰森中將進行更多的前沿作戰，作為發展這種概念的一環，我也不會意外。」

斯威夫特表示，如果戰略有所改變，兩支艦隊並不會遷移總部，但將得以「在最不穩定的區域」開展合作。但是他並未詳加說明。

斯威夫特的上述發言，正逢中國在亞洲爭議海域、特別是南海地區擴張領土，導致緊張局勢日益升級。北京正在南海建造7個人造島嶼，包括3條飛機跑道。

太平洋艦隊海軍官員告訴路透社，這項計劃圍繞著第三艦隊進行「前沿作戰」（operating forward）的概念，用意在消除行政管理界限，但該計劃仍在構想階段。「前沿作戰」是一個海軍術語，意指海軍在遠端戰區巡邏與執行任務。

美國第三艦隊是美國海軍六大艦隊之一。轄區範圍在東部及北太平洋海域一帶面積約5000平方公里（包含白令海、阿拉斯加、阿留申群島及部分北極），司令部設置在加州聖迭戈的洛瑪角海軍基地。

第三艦隊負責確保美國與盟國在整個環太平洋的海上貿易及石油交通路線的順暢。

第三艦隊有超過21艘主力戰艦及8000多名岸上總部海軍成員，擁有5艘尼米茲級核動力航空母艦。

南海情勢緊張 美第三艦隊擬協防西太平洋○自由(2015.09.28)

〔編譯李信漢／綜合報導〕美國太平洋艦隊司令史威夫特上將（Scott Swift）近日提出構想，希望駐紮在聖地牙哥總部的第三艦隊打破行政區劃分，朝西太平洋地區擴大軍事行動，與駐防日本的第七艦隊在「最不穩定的區域」緊密合作。

跨越換日線 聽從第七艦隊指揮

史威夫特的發言，正值中國在亞太地區爭議水域擴張軍力，特別是在南海填島造礁，引發與周邊國家高度緊張。一名太平洋艦隊官員表示，這項以第三艦隊進行「前沿作戰」（operating forward）的概念，旨在打破行政管理界線，但計畫仍在構想階段。按照計畫，將擴大第三艦隊在西太平洋區軍事行動的戰略角色。「前沿作戰」為一海軍術語，意指海軍在遠端戰區巡邏與執行任務。

路透報導，史威夫特最近兩場演講拋出不尋常的訊息，質疑沒必要沿著國際換日線劃分行政界線，將第七艦隊的轄區限定在西太平洋，而將第三艦隊轄區劃在換日線以東。

美國海軍官員表示，日本下月十八日將舉行三年一度的海上閱兵演習，展示海上自衛隊的軍力。屆時美國將由第三艦隊司令、海軍中將泰森（Nora Tyson）代表出席，而非由駐防日本的第七艦隊司令代表，初步透露美國戰略將改弦易轍的訊息。

史威夫特本月七日造訪第七艦隊日本橫須賀總部時表示，做為發展概念的一環，泰森執行更多前沿作戰並不讓人意外。他還表示，即便戰略有所改變，也不會遷移兩支艦隊的總部，但會讓它們得以在「最不穩定的區域」合作。他並未進一步闡述合作內容。

美國海軍官員表示，第三艦隊越過換日線後的軍事行動，將聽從第七艦隊指揮。兩支艦隊的整合，與歐巴馬「重返亞洲」戰略是不同的計畫。歐巴馬曾表示，二○二○年前將把美國海軍六成軍力部署在亞洲。海軍官員指出，第三艦隊擴大軍事行動範圍，可能代表美國海軍將加深與日本海上自衛隊的合作。

第三艦隊於一九四三年由美國海軍上將海爾賽（William Halsey）宣布成立，二次世界大戰結束後，海爾賽率領第三艦隊前往日本東京灣，並在旗艦密蘇里號上接受日本簽署降書，目前擁有逾百艘艦艇和四艘航空母艦。

US fleets may work closer in areas of 'greatest instability'○The Strait News(2015.09.28)

TOKYO • A top US admiral wants the powerful Third Fleet to expand its engagement in the Western Pacific region from its headquarters in San Diego by operating more closely with the Japan-based Seventh Fleet to focus on areas with the "greatest instability".

In two recent speeches that received little media attention, the US Pacific Fleet commander, Admiral Scott Swift, questioned the need for an administrative boundary running along the International Date Line to demarcate operations for the Seventh Fleet and the Third Fleet.

In an early sign of a shift in strategy, US naval officials said the Third Fleet commander, Vice-Admiral Nora Tyson - rather than her Seventh Fleet counterpart - would represent the United States Navy at the Japan Fleet Review on Oct 18, a display of Japanese naval power held every three years.

"I would not be surprised to see more of Vice-Admiral Tyson operating forward as part of this concept development process," Admiral Swift said in a speech on Sept 7 during a visit to the Seventh Fleet headquarters in Yokosuka, Japan.

Any change would not mean the relocation of headquarters or home ports, but would allow the two fleets to work together in "areas with the greatest instability", Admiral Swift said, without elaborating.

His remarks coincide with growing tension over China's territorial ambitions in Asia's disputed waters, especially in the South China Sea, where Beijing is building seven artificial islands that include three airstrips.

Admiral Swift was away from his headquarters in Hawaii and not immediately available to comment, his office said.

A US Pacific Fleet naval official told Reuters that the idea was to scrap the administrative boundary but that it was at the conceptual stage.

He said the plan revolved around the Third Fleet "operating forward", which is naval terminology for conducting patrols and missions in distant theatres.

It would formalise and expand the Third Fleet's role in the Western Pacific from a command and control perspective, said the official on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media.

"We're not sure how often or when that would manifest at this point," he added.

When operating west of the International Date Line, the Third Fleet's vessels have typically come under Seventh Fleet command, US naval officials said.

They said closer integration between the two fleets was separate from US President Barack Obama's "pivot" to Asia, which will see 60 per cent of the US Navy's assets deployed in the Pacific region by the year 2020.

One Asia security expert, Ms Mira Rapp-Hooper at the Centre for a New American Security in Washington, cautioned against reading too much into the move.

"The Third Fleet may become more present symbolically in the Asia-Pacific, but I am not sure that this has major strategic implications, say for the US-Japan relationship... at least based on what I understand thus far," Ms Rapp-Hooper said.

The United States and its allies in Asia, including Japan, have called on Beijing to halt construction on its man-made islands in the Spratly archipelago.

Almost a third of global trade goes through the waters, including two-thirds of the world's oil shipments.

China has repeatedly stressed it has "indisputable sovereignty" over the Spratlys, saying the islands would be used for civilian and undefined military purposes.

Japan is also at loggerheads with China over uninhabited islands in the East China Sea.

The Seventh Fleet has America's only forward deployed aircraft carrier strike group along with 80 other vessels, 140 aircraft and 40,000 sailors.

The Third Fleet has more than 100 vessels, including four aircraft carriers.

REUTERS