A number of these intercepts were characterized as "risky and aggressive in nature" by senior US military officials, according to video that the Pentagon published last week
Delhi, New: The US has denounced the "unsafe"
behavior of a Chinese J-11 fighter jet that approached a US Air Force B-52
bomber during "routine operations over the South China Sea in
international airspace" late on Tuesday, coming within ten feet of the aircraft.
Since the word "unsafe" is only used in the most dire situations, its
usage is noteworthy. The Chinese fighter pilot's conduct, according to the US
military's Indo-Pacific Command, "demonstrated poor airmanship by closing
with uncontrolled excessive speed."
putting both aircraft in danger of collision by flying in front of, below, and within 10
feet of the B-52." "...interception was carried out at night, in poor visibility, and in violation of international aviation safety regulations. When deliberately flying near another, military
aircraft must fly with professionalism and keep safety in mind."
In a 38-second night vision video that PACOM released, the J-11 was shown getting closer to
the B-52 and even capturing the American aircraft's nose in the footage.
The US's ability to
fly securely in the region has been hampered by Chinese pilots'
"unprofessional" actions, according to PACOM, which include several
near-misses since 2021.
A number of these intercepts were deemed "risky and aggressive in nature" by senior US
military officials, according to video that the Pentagon published last week.
The Associated Press quoted the officials as stating that the intercepts were "part of a
larger trend of regional intimidation by China that could accidentally lead to
conflict". Such moves have been dubbed "more concerning" by US media reports on Tuesday's intercept, especially in light of Beijing's obstruction of attempts to start
military-level negotiations on the subject.