Bashi Channel
On 9–10 August an ENCOUNTEREX/INCHOPEX was held with USS "Constellation" (Battle Group Delta) as they returned from a Western Pacific deployment. On each of these days, "Kitty Hawk" was monitored by a pair of Soviet Tu-95 aircraft. "Kitty Hawk" came under the operational control of the U.S. Seventh Fleet on 12 August and transited the Bashi Channel five days later. The ship the operated briefly in the South China Sea.