The USS Cowpens (CG 63) leads the formation of USS Lassen (DDG 82), USS John S. McCain (DDG 56), USS Vandegrift (FFG 48) and USNS Tippecanoe (T-AO 199) in the Western Pacific Ocean on June 18, 2006, to start exercise Valiant Shield 2006. DoD photo by Airman Benjamin Dennis, U.S. Navy. (Released).
On December 19, 2013 Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel issues comments regarding the provocative acts by the U.S. Navy in the matter of a near miss between the USS Cowpens and a Chinese aircraft fleet formation in the South China Sea earlier this month. During which he squarely blames the Chinese Navy for the confrontation, and confirmed that the ships passed within “100 yards” of each other. Even closer than many people have thought.
USS Cowpens (CG-63) is a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser in service with the United States Navy, which was conducting surveillance of Chinese submarines in “international waters”. The ship is named after the Battle of Cowpens, a major American victory near Cowpens, South Carolina, in the American Revolution.
Here is what the Secretary had to say:
“Q: Secretary Hagel and General Dempsey, I’d like to get your assessment of the Chinese navy, especially in the wake of this near-miss collision with the USS Cowpens? Was that intentional or accidental, according to your assessment? And how would you assess the navy? Is this aircraft carrier, the new aircraft carrier a serious threat? Does it even have aircraft onboard? What’s your assessment?
SEC. HAGEL: Well, I’ll let the chairman talk about the specifics of the — you mean the Chinese aircraft carrier…
Q: Yes.
SEC. HAGEL: … the one that they bought from the Ukrainians and retrofitted.
On the — the bigger question about the Cowpens and what happened and why and motives and intentions, I think it goes back to something that Chairman Dempsey and I have talked about — and others — that what we want to avoid in the South China Sea, the East China Sea, all the conflict surrounding these — these islands is restraint, responsible actions.
And that action by the Chinese, cutting in front of their ship, 100 yards out in front of the Cowpens, was not a responsible action. It was — it was unhelpful. It was irresponsible. We need to work toward putting in place some kind of a mechanism in the Asia Pacific and with China — and I know General Dempsey and the chiefs have been working on this, I’ve been working on this, to have a mechanism to be able to defuse some of these issues as they occur.
Because as I’ve said — and I know Marty and others — what we don’t want is some miscalculation here to occur. And when you have a Cowpens issue, that’s the kind of thing that’s very incendiary, that could be a trigger or a spark that could set off some eventual miscalculation. And so this has been a very unhelpful event. We’re working on it, and we’ll continue to — to work on it.”
Source: Department of Defense Press Briefing by Secretary Hagel and General Dempsey in the Pentagon Briefing Room http://www.defense.gov/transcripts/transcript.aspx?transcriptid=5345
See special report: USS Cowpens took “offensive action” toward Chinese Fleet Formation https://groundreport.com/uss-cowpens-took-offensive-actions-toward-chinese-fleet-formation/
See also: China accuses USS Cowpens of “tailing and harrasing” Chinese aircraft carrier https://groundreport.com/china-accuses-uss-cowpens-of-tailing-after-and-harassing-chinese-aircraft-carrier/
See also: China accuses USS Cowpens of tracking submarines in Chinese waters https://groundreport.com/china-accuses-uss-cowpens-of-tracking-submarines-in-chinese-waters/
See also related article: Chinese subs planning widespread nuclear attack on several major US cities in the vent of war https://groundreport.com/chinese-nuclear-subs-planning-widespread-nuclear-attacks-on-several-major-u-s-cities-in-the-event-of-war/