Photo: STR / AFP / Getty Images
The U.S. military confirmed that a Chinese fighter jet pilot performed an "unsafe intercept" of an American B-52 bomber over the South China Sea on Tuesday (October 24).
"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 U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement.
“It’s a dangerous move — too close and completely unprofessional,” Charlie “Tuna” Moore, a retired Air Force fighter pilot, told the Washington Post.
This is the latest in a growing number of incidents over the South China Sea. The Department of Defense has reported over 180 "unsafe" and "unprofessional" encounters that "impinge upon the ability of the United States and other nations to safely conduct operations where international law allows" since the fall of 2021.
The near-collision will not deter the United States from continuing to fly missions over the South China Sea.
"The U.S will continue to fly, sail, and operate – safely and responsibly – wherever international laws allow. The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Joint Force remains dedicated to a free and open Indo-Pacific region, and we expect all countries in the Indo-Pacific to operate in international airspace safely and in accordance with international law," the statement said.
A 38-second video of the near-collision was posted on X.
"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..."