* China remains determined to claim sovereignty over international waters in the western Pacific
* Strategic importance of the U.S. alliance with Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines
* Large-deck aircraft carrier an important interment in projecting American seapower
* U.S. Navy not prepared to counter Russian maritime buildup in the eastern Mediterranean

Caption
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth greets Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Christopher Cavoli before the North Atlantic Council meeting of defense ministers on February 13, 2025, in Brussels, Belgium. (Omar Havana via Getty Images)