A Chinese fighter pilot “performed a dangerous maneuver” near a US Air Force plane, a US official said Thursday.
US Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement A fighter pilot flew within 20 feet in front of the nose of an RC-135 aircraft being flown by a US pilot on December 21, 2022.
The US pilots were flying legally over the South China Sea but were forced to take “evasive maneuvers” to avoid a collision, they said. Neither pilot has been identified.
“The U.S. Indo-Pacific Joint Command is dedicated to a free and open Indo-Pacific region and, under international law, operates with due regard to the safety of all ships and aircraft in flying, navigating, and conducting operations at sea and in international airspace. and continue to operate,” said the official. “We expect all countries in the Indo-Pacific region to use international airspace safely in accordance with international law.”
video of the incident A brief clip shared by Command shows the Chinese plane closing in on the American jet before the pilot begins an evasive maneuver.
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