China “Deploys Combat Aircraft” to Challenge US P-8 Sub-Hunting Spy Planes in Taiwan Straits
Within just the last few days, Taiwan has detected as many as 38 PLA aircraft and nine PLA vessels near Taiwan
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By Kris Osborn, President, Center for Military Modernization
A Chinese government-backed newspaper says the People’s Liberation Army deployed “combat aircraft” over the Taiwan Straits to counter two US Navy P-8 subhunting planes, a development which could spark or at least risk aerial confrontation.
“PLA Eastern Theater Command deployed combat aircraft to track, monitor and deal with it throughout its entire course in accordance with laws and regulations,” the Global Times quotes a Chinese official stating.
The PRC’s Global Times newspaper does not specify which Chinese combat aircraft were deployed, but did say the planes to “track, monitor and deal with” the presence of US spy planes in the Taiwan strait. The combat planes sent to challenge or track the US P-8s, were a small part of a recent large aerial and surface warfare presence near the island of Taiwan. Within just the last few days, Taiwan has detected as many as 38 PLA aircraft and nine PLA vessels near Taiwan, the paper says.
It is not surprising that the PLA would respond quickly and somewhat aggressively to the presence of US Navy P-8 submarine hunting planes, as they have proven to be extremely effective in the Pacific when it comes to tracking Chinese activities and potential threats. For instance, The US P-8s, planes catalogued and captured video of Chinese “land-reclamation” island building several years ago.
It makes sense the US would be increasingly deploying its high-tech P-8 submarine hunting planes in the Pacific near Taiwan given the fast-expanding pace of Chinese Naval modernization and arming of attack and ballistic missile submarines.
P-8 Submarine Hunting Aircraft
The increasing global reach of Chinese nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarines, armed with JL-2 weapons reportedly able to hit parts of the US, continues to inspire an ongoing Navy effort to accelerate production of attack submarines, prepare long-dwell drones for deployment to the Pacific and continue acquisition of torpedo-armed sub-hunting planes such as the P-8/A Poseidon.