The US complain about a danger of collision between their B-52 and a Chinese fighter jet.
“A People’s Republic of China J-11 pilot executed an unsafe intercept of a U.S. Air Force B-52 aircraft which was lawfully conducting routine operations over the South China Sea” said the US.
On Oct. 24, 2023, a People’s Republic of China J-11 pilot executed an intercept of a U.S. Air Force B-52 aircraft, which was conducting routine operations over the South China Sea in international airspace.
The US said: “During the night time intercept, the PRC pilot flew in an unsafe and unprofessional manner, demonstrated poor airmanship by closing with uncontrolled excessive speed, flying below, in front of, and within 10 feet of the B-52, putting both aircraft in danger of collision. We are concerned this pilot was unaware of how close he came to causing a collision.”
“The intercept was conducted at night, with limited visibility, in a manner contrary to international air safety rules and norms” they said.
This incident represents the latest example of what the Department of Defense described in the 2023 China Military Power Report (CMPR) as “unsafe, unprofessional, and other behaviors that seek to impinge upon the ability of the United States and other nations to safely conduct operations where international law allows,” including more than 180 such interactions since the fall of 2021.
On October 17, 2023, the Department released a collection of declassified images and videos depicting a dangerous pattern of coercive and risky operational behavior by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) against U.S. aircraft operating lawfully in international airspace in the East and South China Sea regions.
