Asian maritime analysts have described Washington’s out-of-the-blue proposal to raise a new US navy fleet in Asia, potentially based out of Singapore, as a unilateral “trial balloon” by the outgoing Trump administration. Dr Collin Koh, a Research Fellow at RSIS said that it would be deemed unacceptable for the island nation – among Washington’s key strategic partners in Southeast Asia – to host a permanent US naval base, as it worked “assiduously” to repel the impression that it was in a formal military alliance with Washington.  Dr Olli Pekka Suorsa, from RSIS said he believed the proposal appeared to be “merely a thought exercise” meant to serve as a signal from the US to Beijing of its “long-term intentions and determination to compete with China”. Others, such as Senior Fellow John Bradford – also from RSIS – pointed out that from a US Navy standpoint there were merits to a new US fleet in the region, given how the Japan-based Seventh Fleet was “overworked” as a result of its large remit and as it managed Washington’s “greatest maritime challenges”.