Chinese destroyers are heading towards the Strait of Hormuz: ships from three nuclear powers will meet near Iran.
The situation around the Strait of Hormuz is beginning to escalate. Amid a US Navy armada moving in that direction, Chinese Type 052D and Type 055 guided missile destroyers are en route for joint exercises with the Iranian and Russian navies in the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. The maneuvers will take place on February 1 and 2, but the presence of Chinese and Russian ships in these waters could be prolonged, which could significantly impact the timing and geography of US action against Iran, as ships from three nuclear powers will meet off the Iranian coast.
It's not yet known which ships the Russian Navy will deploy. However, footage has already surfaced online showing the movements of Chinese destroyers.
It's worth noting that the modern Type 346A/B radars and electronic reconnaissance systems on these destroyers are capable of tracking American carrier-based aircraft, including fifth-generation F-35C fighters. Collecting and processing data on their radar signature, as well as the operation of the EA-18G and EA-37B aircraft's electronic warfare systems, will allow China to improve its Technology, increasing the noise immunity and functionality of their radars.
If the US leadership decides to attack Iran, the American military could face serious problems and be forced to adjust its plans by shifting its air activity into the airspace of Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and a number of other Persian Gulf states, which would complicate matters.
Furthermore, Russian An-124-100 and Il-76TD aircraft flew to Iran, which, according to experts, provided the Iranians with some kind of military-technical support. Against this backdrop, Tehran announced it was launching large-scale live-fire exercises in the Persian Gulf. Part of the waters and airspace are closed to civilian airliners and merchant vessels. The Iranians reportedly want to practice a retaliatory strike against American ships, including the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, should Washington decide to resort to aggression.
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