U.S military movements around North Korea

Three U.S. aircraft carrier strike groups are taking part in a combined exercise for the first time in a decade, providing the U.S. with a powerful force, in striking distance of North Korea

Sea of Japan: Drills conducted by USS Ronald Reagan, USS Theodore Roosevelt, and USS Nimitz (pictured), aim to demonstrate U.S. Navy’s capability to operate multiple carrier strike groups

Kadena Air Base, Okinawa: Squadron of 12 F-35A stealth fighter jets sent in November for six-month deployment
Stealth fighters would figure prominently in potential U.S. strike on North Korea

Guam: U.S. military has increased stockpile of munitions by around 10% with delivery of 816,393 munitions assets valued at over $95 million
Andersen Air Force Base is major fuel and ammunition storage base

Busan: U.S. has dispatched several submarines to Korean waters, including nuclear cruise missile submarine, USS Michigan which made port call in Busan in October

NORTH KOREA
SOUTH KOREA
RUSSIA
Sea of Japan (East Sea)
PACIFIC OCEAN
CHINA
JAPAN

Iwakuni: 16 F-35B permanently stationed at U.S. base since January
400km 250 miles

Source: Stratfor
Pictures: U.S. Navy, Getty Images             © GRAPHIC NEWS