A Chinese fighter pilot “performed an unsafe maneuver” while near a US Air Force plane, US officials said Thursday.
The US Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement that the fighter pilot was flying ahead of and within 20 feet of the nose of the RC-135 aircraft the US pilot was flying on Dec. 21, 2022.
The American pilot was flying lawfully over the South China Sea, command said, but was forced to take “evasive maneuvers” to avoid a collision. Neither pilot was identified.
“The US Indo-Pacific Joint Force is dedicated to a free and open Indo-Pacific region and will continue to fly, sail and operate at sea and in international airspace with due regard for the safety of all ships and aircraft under international law,” officials said. “We expect all countries in the Indo-Pacific region to use international airspace safely and in accordance with international law.”
Command shared video of the incident, and the short clip shows the Chinese plane approaching the American jet before the pilot begins evasive maneuvers.
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