A Chinese fighter jet got within 10 feet of a US Air Force B-52 bomber flying over the South China Sea on October 24, US Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement on Thursday.
A Chinese fighter jet came within 10 feet of a US Air Force B-52 bomber flying over the South China Sea on Tuesday, according to the US military.
The Chinese 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,” US Indo-Pacific Command said in a Thursday statement. “We are concerned this pilot was unaware of how close he came to causing a collision.”
News of the latest Chinese intercept comes as President Joe Biden is expected to speak with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi when he visits the White House on Friday, CNN reported on Thursday. It is not clear whether the meeting will be a formal discussion or a more informal meet and greet. Wang is also expected to meet with Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday and national security adviser Jake Sullivan on Friday.
US ships and aircraft follow international law and don’t endanger others with illegal maneuvers. You’re allowed to be there, you’re not allowed to try to almost hit (and in multiple cases actually hit) someone else that is allowed to be there.
The Chinese are absolutely allowed to fly planes there. What is against international law is unsafe intercepts and flying within 10 feet of another aircraft.
"Hey it's a free country and I can have a gun all I want"
"That may be, but you can't unload 12 magazines into the air downtown because you're super jazzed about the $3 hand job you got behind fazoli's. You're still under arrest"
For some context, the South China Sea is a giant sea between China, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and a few others. Currently, China is pushing for what it calls the "Nine-Dash Line" policy which would in effect forcibly blockade all other ASEAN nations from trading.
Imagine if Italy claimed the entire Mediterranean Sea including the coastline of other nations, then prevented others from trading under the threat of military invasion. That's basically what China is trying to do here.
There's flying, and the there's flying like a moron. No matter where you are, in your own air space or someone else's, flying like a moron is a terrible idea.
Traveling within 10 feet of another vehicle where the speeds are measured as a percentage of the speed of sound (Mach) is definitely flying like a moron.
Not always, I fly 10 feet away from another plane all the time. The difference is we planned it from the beginning and are both actively participating.
True, but that is well planned, both pilots probably meet before the flight, I think, and actually discuss the whole routine including the distance, because unexpected turbulence and a dozen other factors can throw the plan off, whereas fighter jet meets B-52 without any plan or possibly even contact, at 400+ knots is a bad idea.
Absolutely, intercepts have prescribed international standards that must be observed to ensure safety of flight. I was just commenting that it’s not always a bad idea if done correctly.
This happened in international airspace. Doesn't matter what the body of water is called. The entirety of the gulf of Mexico doesn't belong to Mexico either. Nor does the Indian ocean belong to India.
Also the China Sea was originally named by the Portuguese.
No, no, his logic is sound. The Atlantic Ocean will hereby be renamed the East American Ocean, and the Pacific Ocean will hereby be renamed the West American Ocean. The South China Sea will hereby be renamed the West West American Ocean. The Indian Ocean will hereby be renamed the South West American Ocean.
You checking your China 'this is totally all mine' new map in your notes? The 9 dash line is hand drawn and totally arbitrary, and is basically saying 'this is mine now.'