China wants everyone to know that its Liaoning aircraft carrier is deployed at sea and that the U.S. Navy has no ability to operate a carrier strike group in the Asia-Pacific region.

This reality, the state-run Global Times newspaper crows, "cannot conceal the US Navy's current weak condition."

A few clarifications are due.

First off, like most statements out of Beijing, this claim is false. While the coronavirus pandemic has indeed forced some U.S. carrier strike groups into port, the USS Harry S. Truman group is operating in the North Atlantic, and the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower group is in the Arabian Sea, providing for contingencies against Iran. But should the United States need to do so, it could have the Eisenhower in the South China Sea in less than seven days. Deterrence or action against Iran could then be sustained by Air Force units and Navy cruise missile submarines in the area. In addition, the USS America amphibious assault ship is currently underway in the Pacific and embarked with F-35B strike fighters.

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But the key reason China shouldn't be gloating here is that the Liaoning's deployment isn't quite the manifestation of supremacy it claims. While the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy has some excellent warships, especially in the area of air defense, the Liaoning is its sole operational carrier. And while it's true that the Liaoning and its escorts are sailing in the South China Sea, they hardly command those waters.

Yes, thanks to its mismanagement of the coronavirus outbreak on the USS Theodore Roosevelt, the U.S. Navy hasn't had a good couple of weeks. Yes, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command needs more resources, even if at the expense of other commands. And yes, the Navy's continuing obsession with aircraft carriers demands reconsideration for quite a number of reasons.

Still, the Navy retains deployed capabilities to ensure that the Chinese navy remains far from invulnerable.

U.S. Navy and Air Force surveillance aircraft are monitoring the Liaoning and its escorts. But the Navy's most potent active threat to China comes from its ballistic missile submarines and the 31 U.S. attack submarines under the command of Submarine Force, Pacific. That includes four submarines permanently stationed at Guam, just a two days' submerged sail to the center of the South China Sea.

Why is this relevant?

Because these crews retain an ability to operate undetected close in (sometimes very, very, very close in) to the Chinese fleet. And if called upon to do so, they could fire their updated Mark-48 torpedoes and break the Liaoning's back.

Oh, and talking of the Liaoning, it's not a great platform anyway.

A former Soviet vessel, the Liaoning ultimately exists for two purposes: to advance Chinese military pride and to allow its sailors and air wing to gain carrier experience at sea in advance of the delivery of new, improved carriers. And that said, the Liaoning's limitations include its ski deck's restricted operating range for its J-15 fighter air wing, limited replenishment capabilities, and inadequate sensor command and control interfacing. (Although some of this can be handled by Renhai-class destroyers, only one is currently in active service.)

So yes: In short, the U.S. Navy has its issues. But China's present naval arrogance is also rather badly misplaced.