US military aircraft have had more than 180 dangerous mid-air encounters with Chinese fighter jets since 2021, which is more cases than in the previous two decades, the Pentagon revealed on Tuesday.
Encounters over the past two years between US aircraft in the East and South China Seas and fighter jets belonging to China’s People’s Liberation Army have been described by a Pentagon official as a “centralised, concerted campaign” by China. “to coerce a change in the legal regime.” American operational activity” through “risky behavior.”
“There are almost 200 cases in which PLA operators have made reckless maneuvers or unloaded straw or fired flares or approached too fast or too close to American aircraft,” said Dr. Ely Ratner, undersecretary of Defense for Defense Affairs. Indo-Pacific Security, at a press conference. Tuesday.
“All part of an attempt to interfere with the ability of US forces to operate safely in places where we and every country in the world have every right to be under international law,” Ratner said.
The Pentagon declassifies dozens of images and videos of the meetings. AP The Pentagon describes the maneuvers of the Chinese pilots as “dangerous.”
Ratner noted that the number of “coercive and risky PLA interceptions” has skyrocketed to nearly 300 cases since 2021 when Chinese fighter jet encounters with US allied and partner aircraft are taken into account.
The senior Pentagon official warned that dangerous Chinese interceptions “put lives at risk: the lives of our service members, the lives of our allies and partners, and even the lives of PLA operators.”
A trove of declassified images and videos released by the Department of Defense on Tuesday show dozens of these recent high-speed aerial encounters.
In one video, an encounter from May 25, a PLA fighter jet is seen passing in front of a US plane and causing the US plane to shake as it flies through the wake turbulence of the PLA plane.
In one incident in June 2022, a video shows a PLA fighter jet approaching within 40 feet of a US plane over the South China Sea and repeatedly flying above and below the US plane and “flashing its weapons,” according to the Pentagon.
“After the US operator radioed the PLA fighter jet, the PLA pilot responded using explicit language, including an insult,” the Pentagon notes.
Chinese fighter jets have come within 20 feet of American aircraft attacking over the East and South China Sea. AP The Pentagon and the PLA are currently not on speaking terms. AP
“The bottom line is that, in many cases, this type of operational behavior can lead to accidents, and dangerous accidents can lead to inadvertent conflicts,” Ratner said, explaining that encounters can last more than 15 minutes and occur at hundreds of kilometers per hour. , and that armed Chinese aircraft sometimes come within 20 feet of American and allied aircraft.
Ratner also expressed concern that the “disturbing” behavior continues to occur “at a time when the[People’sRepublicofChina”hasdeclinedourinvitationstoopenlinesofmilitary-to-militarycommunicationattheseniormostlevels”[RepúblicaPopularChina”harechazadonuestrasinvitacionesparaabrirlíneasdecomunicaciónentremilitaresenlosnivelesmásaltos”[People’sRepublicofChina”hasdeclinedourinvitationstoopenlinesofmilitarytomilitarycommunicationattheseniormostlevels”
The lack of communication stems from the US military’s downing of a suspected Chinese spy balloon in February off the coast of South Carolina, after the ship had flown throughout the continental United States, including over military installations. sensitive of the United States.
Pentagon officials expressed concern about the “potential for accidents” during these encounters. AP Encounters occur over the ocean at hundreds of miles per hour and can last more than 15 minutes. AP
Navy Adm. John C. Aquilino, commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, explained Tuesday that “interceptions happen every day around the world,” but when China conducts them against US aircraft, they are different.
“The vast majority are carried out safely and without incident and there is no reason for interceptions with the People’s Republic of China in the Indo-Pacific region to be any different,” Aquilino said.
“As Commander of the Joint Force, what worries me most is the possibility of accidents,” he added.
Ratner emphasized that the United States will not change its approach on flights over the East and South China Seas despite the PLA’s actions.
“The United States will not be deterred or coerced,” Ratner said. “We will continue to fly, sail and operate safely and responsibly wherever international law allows. Our forces have helped maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific for decades. And we will continue to do it every day.”
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Source: vtt.edu.vn