Latest news with #P3C
The Independent
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Japan says Chinese fighter jets risked collision after close encounter over Pacific
Japan said Chinese fighter jets risked a collision with one of its surveillance planes during a close encounter over the Pacific. In a statement on Wednesday, the Japanese defence ministry said a P-3C patrol plane monitoring China 's Shandong aircraft carrier over the weekend was followed by a pair of J-15 fighters. The jets, which took off from the carrier, tailed the military surveillance aircraft for 40 minutes and 80 minutes, respectively. 'The government has raised serious concerns with the Chinese side, including to the Chinese ambassador in Tokyo, through the vice minister of foreign affairs, and has strongly urged them to prevent such incidents from recurring,' cabinet secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said at a news briefing on Thursday. Japan 'will continue to spare no effort to ensure vigilance and surveillance activities in the airspace and waters surrounding Japan in order to resolutely defend Japan's territorial waters, airspace and territorial rights,' he added. Photos shared by Japan's defence ministry showed a J-15 fighter jet flying dangerously close and parallel to the surveillance aircraft. At one point, the J-15 crossed nearly 900 metres in front of the P-3C's flight path. While declining to comment on any Chinese military intention behind the dangerous manoeuvres, a Japanese government spokesperson claimed that such 'unusual close approaches by Chinese military aircraft could potentially lead to accidental collisions'. Japanese officials delayed the public disclosure of the recent close encounters with Chinese planes in order to interview the P-3C's crew and assess the flight data, The Japan Times reported. The Japanese navy sighted two Chinese aircraft carriers conducting simultaneous operations in the Pacific for the first time over the weekend, in a move signalling Beijing 's intention to expand its blue water capabilities. Liaoning and Shandong were seen operating in separate areas of the Pacific Ocean, the Japanese defence ministry said. The Shandong strike group was seen carrying out what appeared to be takeoff and landing operations of its fighter jets and helicopters about 500km southwest of Iwo Jima and north of Okinotori. The Liaoning group was located 300km southwest of Minamitori Island on Saturday and slightly farther away on Sunday. It was also operating its air wings. The carriers were found in the blue waters beyond Japan 's Second Island Chain. Considered the second line of defence in the event of a military escalation by China, the chain comprises a strategic group of islands in the middle of the West Pacific, including a US military base in Guam, around 2,700km from Taiwan. Confirming the presence of its carriers in the East Asian waters, Beijing on Tuesday said Liaoning and Shandong carriers were carrying out the training 'to test the forces' capabilities in far seas defence and joint operations'. The exercises were a 'routine training' without Beijing targeting any specific country, Chinese navy spokesperson, senior captain Wang Xuemeng, said. Since May, China has been increasing its presence in East Asian waters by sending an unusually large number of naval and coast guard vessels to the region. At the same time, it has been conducting daily military drills in the Taiwan Strait, which critics have described as staged exercises aimed at escalating military pressure on the self-governed island.
Al Jazeera
2 days ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Japan protests to China after ‘dangerous' moves by warplanes over Pacific
Japan has protested to Beijing over what was described as Chinese fighter jets' 'near-miss' manoeuvres near Japanese maritime patrol planes over the Pacific where China's two operational aircraft carriers were spotted deployed simultaneously for the first time last weekend. Japan's Kyodo news agency reported on Thursday that a Chinese J-15 warplane from the Shandong aircraft carrier flew within 45 metres (147 feet) of a Japanese P-3C maritime surveillance plane and made other 'dangerous manoeuvres' during incidents on Saturday and Sunday. 'We have expressed serious concern to the Chinese side and solemnly requested prevention of recurrence,' Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said. According to Japan's defence ministry, P-3C aircraft, belonging to Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force based on the island of Okinawa, were conducting surveillance over international waters in the Pacific when they encountered Chinese warplanes. On Saturday, a J-15 from the Shandong chased a Japanese P-3C patrol aircraft for about 40 minutes. Then, on Sunday, a J-15 fighter chased a P-3C for 80 minutes, crossing in front of the Japanese aircraft at a distance of only 900 metres (2,952 feet), the ministry said. 'Such abnormal approaches by Chinese military aircraft could potentially cause accidental collisions,' the defence ministry said in a statement on Wednesday, attaching close-up images of the J-15 jet it took on Sunday. There was no damage to the Japanese planes or harm caused to the aircraft crew, the ministry added. Hayashi, the top Japanese government spokesperson, said Tokyo will maintain communications with Beijing at various levels and will also ensure the monitoring of airspace around Japan's territories continues. The last time a similar incident was reported was more than a decade ago in May and June 2014, when Chinese Su-27 fighter jets flew within 30 metres (98 feet) of Japan's military planes. The Kyodo news agency also reported that the Shandong aircraft carrier conducted takeoff and landing drills on Monday to the north of Japan's southernmost Okinotori Island, inside the country's exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The Liaoning carrier was also spotted inside the EEZ on Saturday before moving outside the zone where it also conducted takeoffs and landings on Sunday.
Bloomberg
2 days ago
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Japan Complains After Chinese Fighter Jet Buzzes Patrol Plane
Tokyo has complained to Beijing after a Chinese fighter jet tailed a Japanese patrol aircraft over the weekend, flying as close as 45 meters from the aircraft, according to Japan's Defense Ministry. The Chinese J-15 fighter jet tailed a Japanese P-3C patrol aircraft for about 40 minutes last Saturday over international waters of the Pacific Ocean, a Defense Ministry statement said. A Chinese jet also tailed a patrol craft for over 80 minutes the following day, it added.
CNA
2 days ago
- Politics
- CNA
Chinese fighter jets flew unusually close to Japanese patrol planes
TOKYO: Chinese fighter jets flew unusually close to Japanese military patrol planes over the weekend as two Chinese aircraft carriers operated in the Pacific Ocean for the first time, Japan's defence ministry said on Wednesday (Jun 11). On Saturday, a Chinese J-15 jet from the aircraft carrier Shandong chased a Japanese P-3C patrol aircraft for about 40 minutes, the ministry said. On Sunday, a J-15 chased a P-3C for 80 minutes, crossing in front of the Japanese aircraft at a distance of only 900m, it said. At one point on both days, a Chinese J-15 flew as close as 45m to a Japanese aircraft, the ministry said. The P-3C aircraft, belonging to Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force based in the island of Okinawa, were conducting surveillance over international waters in the Pacific, the ministry said. "Such abnormal approaches by Chinese military aircraft could potentially cause accidental collisions, and we have expressed serious concern and strongly requested prevention of recurrence," the ministry said, attaching close-up images of the J-15 jet it took on Sunday.
Japan Times
2 days ago
- Japan Times
Chinese fighter jets in close encounters with MSDF patrol plane over Pacific
Chinese fighter jets risked collisions with a Maritime Self-Defense Force P-3C surveillance plane over the high seas in the Pacific Ocean in two close calls over the weekend that the Defense Ministry in Tokyo has characterized as 'abnormal approaches.' The ministry said late Wednesday that a MSDF P-3C patrol plane monitoring China's Shandong aircraft carrier in the Pacific was followed by a Chinese J-15 that took off from the carrier for about 40 minutes Saturday and 80 minutes Sunday. On Saturday, a J-15 fighter, which images showed was armed with missiles, flew to within 45 meters parallel of the surveillance plane — a short enough distance to risk a collision. The following day, a J-15 crossed approximately 900 meters in front of the P-3C's flight path, a distance covered in a matter of seconds. 'These kinds of unusual approaches by Chinese military aircraft pose a risk of accidental collisions,' the ministry said. Although there was no damage to the Japanese plane or injuries among its crew, officials said it had 'raised serious concerns' with the Chinese side, urging them to prevent such incidents from recurring. A Chinese J-15 fighter jet conducts what Japan's Defense Ministry said was an "abnormal approach" to a Maritime Self-Defense Force P-3C surveillance plane over the high seas in the Pacific Ocean on Sunday. | DEFENSE MINISTRY / VIA JIJI This was believed to be the third time since 2014 that Chinese aircraft have made such close approaches to Self-Defense Forces planes. All previous incidents occurred over the East China Sea. The public disclosure of the latest incidents was delayed for several days in order to interview the P-3C's crew and analyze the flight data, media reports citing ministry officials said. The incidents came as China's two operating aircraft carriers — the Shandong and Liaoning — were spotted conducting simultaneous operations in the Pacific for the first time, the ministry announced earlier in the week. Beijing confirmed late Tuesday that the two carriers had conducted the training "to test the forces' capabilities in far seas defense and joint operations," Chinese Navy spokesperson Senior Capt. Wang Xuemeng said, calling the exercises "routine training" that did not target any specific country. Beijing has ramped up military exercises and training in recent months, highlighting its growing prowess ever farther from its shores. The vast waters of the western Pacific Ocean have long been seen as one weak point in Japan's defense architecture, and the government, as part of its 2022 Defense Buildup Program, is working to deploy mobile early warning and control radars to the area to strengthen air defense capabilities there.
