Pentagon releases footage of almost 200 intercepts of US warplanes by Chinese aircraft

The Pentagon this week released footage and images of some of the nearly 200 incidents of what the U.S. has called reckless and aggressive behavior from Chinese aircraft in the past two years.

Defense Department officials said that since the fall of 2021, Chinese jets and planes have engaged in 180 “coercive and risky” maneuvers around U.S. aircraft in the South China Sea and the Indo-Pacific region.

Adding in incidents between U.S. allies and Chinese aircraft, the number goes up to about 300, according to the Pentagon.

On Tuesday, the Department of Defense (DOD) released photos and videos of 15 such incidents since January 2022.

Ely Ratner, assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs, said China’s military, known as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), has engaged in a frequent pattern of coercive and risky behavior that puts lives at risk.

China “seeks to intimidate and coerce members of the international community to giving up their rights under international law,” Ratner said at a Tuesday briefing. “All of these examples we released today underscore the coercive intent of the PLA.”

The behavior is increasingly worrying Washington because it could lead to an unintended clash that could spark a war.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has raised the issue with his counterparts in the past, according to the DOD.

Some of the incidents have already been previously reported on, including a Chinese jet intercepting a U.S. spy plane in May 2023 and another Chinese warplane moving within 20 feet of an American aircraft in December 2022.

The batch of videos and images released by the Pentagon shows several reckless maneuvers and close approaches to U.S. aircraft at high speeds, while other Chinese aircraft have also released flares or other objects and projectiles.

The U.S. says all of the incidents have occurred while American aircraft were conducting lawful operations in international airspace.

In May 2022, one PLA fighter jet moved to just within 10 feet below a U.S. aircraft in the East China Sea.

In June 2022, another fighter jet harassed an American plane and flashed weapons from about 40 feet away in the South China Sea, the Pentagon said. A Chinese pilot responded with an expletive when the U.S. pilot tried to contact the person.

Navy Adm. John C. Aquilino, commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, said Tuesday that American forces are highly trained and professional but expressed concern about the “potential for accidents” that could “lead to miscalculation.”

“We must prevent these from happening in the theater,” Aquilino said. “Highlighting these behaviors and ensuring we can prevent them is a top priority.”