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The US Navy deployed the survey ship USNS Mary Sears and destroyer USS John Finn through the Taiwan Strait on January 16-17, 2026, to collect data for future underwater drone operations and enhance U.S. submarine capabilities. This operation, aimed at upholding freedom of navigation, is part of a broader U.S. strategy involving survey ships, amidst rising tensions due to China's development of the Type 096 ballistic missile submarine.