US Navy Deploys Survey Ship and Destroyer for Underwater Drone Operations in Taiwan Strait
The US Navy deployed the survey ship USNS Mary Sears and destroyer USS John Finn through the Taiwan Strait on January 16-17, 2026, to collect data for future underwater drone operations and enhance U.S. submarine capabilities. This operation, aimed at upholding freedom of navigation, is part of a broader U.S. strategy involving survey ships, amidst rising tensions due to China's development of the Type 096 ballistic missile submarine.
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The US Navy deployed the Pathfinder-class survey ship USNS Mary Sears and destroyer USS John Finn through the Taiwan Strait on January 16-17, 2026, for data collection to support future underwater drone operations. This marks the Navy's first transit of the strait in 2026.
The operation aims to uphold freedom of navigation under international law and gather data for U.S. submarine operations, including identifying hidden Chinese submarines. The deployment is part of a new U.S. policy involving survey ships, which collect geophysical data and assess underwater environments.
The Navy also conducted three warship passages in the strait last year. Concurrently, China is developing the Type 096 ballistic missile submarine, capable of striking U.S. targets from protected waters, which increases strategic tension in the region.
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