US, Chinese jets in close encounter over South China Sea

WASHINGTON, 31 December 2022, (TON): US military said “a Chinese fighter jet flew dangerously within 20 feet of a much larger US air force surveillance aircraft over the South China Sea.”

In the December 21 incident, a Chinese Navy J-11 fighter pilot “performed an unsafe maneuver during an intercept of a US Air Force RC-135 aircraft,” the US Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement.

The Chinese pilot flew in front of and within 20 feet of the nose of the US aircraft, “forcing the RC-135 to take evasive maneuvers to avoid a collision.”

US command said ”the RC-135, was lawfully conducting routine operations over the South China Sea in international airspace.”

Login to post comments
Go to top