J-15 fighters from the Chinese Navy, deployed on the aircraft carrier Shandong, made dangerous approaches to a P-3C maritime patrol aircraft of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) during surveillance missions over the western Pacific Ocean.
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According to information from the Japanese Ministry of Defense, the first incident occurred on Saturday, June 7, from around 10:30 to 11:00 a.m. (local time), when the Chinese fighters followed the Japanese aircraft for approximately 40 minutes. The second episode was recorded on Sunday, June 8, between 2:00 and 3:00 p.m., lasting about 80 minutes.
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During these actions, the J-15 fighters made an unusual approach, flying just 45 meters horizontally from the P-3C aircraft, with no difference in altitude. In Sunday’s incident, one of the fighters positioned itself about 900 meters ahead of the Japanese aircraft’s path, again with no altitude variation, increasing the risk of collision.
Although no damage was reported to the MSDF aircraft or its crew, Japanese authorities expressed serious concern about the Chinese maneuvers, highlighting that such risky approaches could lead to serious accidents due to unintentional collisions. The Japanese government formally requested measures to prevent similar incidents.
The episode comes amid increased Chinese military activity in international waters and illustrates the growing tension in the Pacific airspace, especially in areas close to zones that are strategic for the security of Japan and its allies.
Source and images: Japan Ministry of Defense. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
