While tensions against China rise, the US and its Asian allies prepare MK 48 torpedoes for use in the South China Sea.
With Russian forces seemingly contained as a regional threat, the US is turning its attention to another autocratic regime in the Far East that poses an equally sinister threat.
The People’s Republic of China has been illegally asserting authority over swathes of territory in the South China Sea (SCS), including Taiwan.
As a result, two contracts were awarded by the US Department of Defense (DoD) for the support of the MK 48 Mod 7 Heavyweight Torpedo Programme.
USN frigates have already received enhanced weapons systems, and the navy's DDG(X) programme is progressing gradually.
GlobaData states that the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is the Asia-Pacific region’s largest navy.
Due to this, the USN is producing more frigates to meet their own force-structure goal of 355 ships, to surpass China's.