A patrol aircraft dispatched by Japan—a treaty ally of the United States—was intercepted by fighter jets launched from a Chinese aircraft carrier operating in the wider western Pacific. Newsweek has contacted the Chinese Defense and Foreign Ministries via email for comment.

According to Japan’s Defense Ministry, the Liaoning and the Shandong were spotted conducting nearly simultaneous operations near Iwo Jima, roughly 1,200 kilometers south of Tokyo.

China, which has the world's largest navy by hull count, continues to expand its military reach and presence in the Pacific Ocean.

Two Chinese aircraft carrier strike groups have simultaneously deployed to the Western Pacific – a first for the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), Japanese officials said on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Navy’s forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN-73) left its homeport in Japan on Tuesday for carrier air wing qualifications.

Aircraft carriers, long symbols of naval dominance, now face unprecedented threats from advanced technologies like hypersonic missiles and drone swarms. To remain relevant, navies are exploring innovations such as unmanned systems,

Design work on the French Navy’s next-generation nuclear-powered aircraft carrier (CVN) is close to complete, with the programme approaching..