In recent days, and for the second consecutive day, Japan’s Self-Defense Forces have been alerting and monitoring the deployment of individual and combined patrols conducted by strategic bombers from the armed forces of China and Russia. The flights, recorded between yesterday and today, have been taking place between the East China Sea and the Sea of Japan, and vice versa, in a joint maneuver carried out by aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) and the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). In response, Japan’s Ministry of Defense reported the deployment of combat aircraft to prevent potential violations of the airspace of the Japanese archipelagos in the area of operations.
According to information released yesterday, November 29, the General Staff of the Japan Self-Defense Forces reported the deployment of long-range patrols composed of combat aircraft from the Chinese and Russian armed forces operating in the Sea of Japan.
More specifically, the formation included two Xi’an H-6 strategic bombers escorted by two Shenyang J-16 fighter-bombers and supported by a Shaanxi Y-9 aircraft, presumably one of the electronic intelligence (ELINT) variants. On the Russian side, the VKS deployed, as on previous occasions, two Tu-95 strategic bombers escorted by a Sukhoi Su-35 combat aircraft.
The presence of these aircraft prompted Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force to deploy F-15J air superiority fighters to the operational area to prevent potential violations of Japanese archipelago airspace. Among recent incidents recorded and denounced was an event at the end of August when a PLAAF Y-9 aircraft briefly violated the airspace over the Danjo Islands while flying over the waters of the Koshikishima and Danjo archipelagos.
Following yesterday’s operations, the Self-Defense Forces reported another deployment of an even greater number of aircraft in the region today, November 30.
In this regard, the official statement noted: “On Saturday, November 30, from morning to afternoon, it was confirmed that two Chinese bombers (H-6) and two Russian bombers (Tu-95) conducted a joint long-range flight. These bombers came from the direction of China, jointly passed between Okinawa’s main island and Miyako Island toward the Pacific Ocean, where they turned and passed again between Okinawa and Miyako to head toward the East China Sea.”
Additionally, the statement said: “During their flight to the Pacific, between Okinawa and Miyako, it was confirmed that four Chinese fighters (J-16), an aircraft presumed to also be a Chinese fighter, and a Chinese tanker (Y-20) joined the bombers. Similarly, as the bombers turned in the Pacific and crossed again between Okinawa and Miyako toward the East China Sea, another two Chinese fighters (J-16) were identified joining the formation.”
The statement also confirmed the presence of the aforementioned Y-9 signals intelligence aircraft, accompanied by an additional one. Another detail to highlight is the presence of a Y-20 aircraft, which carried out aerial refueling support maneuvers for the Chinese J-16 fighter formations. Regarding the Russian aircraft formation, only the presence of Tu-95 bombers was reported.
In recent years, both the Japanese and U.S. governments have been warning of the increasing long-range patrols conducted by aerospace assets of the Chinese and Russian armed forces. In one of the most notable instances this year, Chinese and Russian aircraft operated within Alaska’s ADIZ, prompting the deployment of U.S. and Canadian Air Force combat aircraft. The execution of such deployments is yet another indication of the growing military cooperation between the two nations, marked by increasing interoperability between their armed forces.
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