Chinese intercepts
China's military has been increasing aerial intercepts of U.S. reconnaissance aircraft flying in international airspace along China's coast, according to defense officials.
In one recent encounter, a Chinese interceptor jet flew alongside a U.S. Air Force RC-135 monitoring aircraft and came within 1,000 feet of the jet as it flew along the coast.
The Chinese jet, which was not identified by its type, flew at the same altitude as the RC-135, an electronic intelligence-gathering aircraft. The incident occurred Nov. 7.
An earlier intercept involved a U.S. Air Force EP-3 surveillance aircraft being shadowed by a Chinese jet that came within 500 feet over the East China Sea.
Until these recent encounters, Chinese interceptor jets had been staying at distances of several miles from U.S. aircraft, which monitor Chinese military and government communications and activities.
The incidents highlight China's continuing harassment of U.S. surveillance aircraft. They follow a period of relative calm in the cat-and-mouse aerial surveillance operations.
A Chinese F-8 jet collided with an EP-3 on April 1, causing the Chinese jet to crash and forcing the EP-3 to make an emergency landing at a military airfield on China's Hainan island.
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