Japan's Sankei News reports that a Chinese Shenyang J-11 air superiority fighter (above) on September 26, 2016 intercepted an Australian AP-3C Orion (below) while the Orion patrolled the South China Sea. (Orion photo courtesy Photo © Keith Anderson).
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In the comment thread following the P-1 and C-2 article of January 10, 2017at 12/1/17 2:29 PM
“S” located some Japanese news reports which are very interesting:
1. Chinese Jet Intercepts an Australian Patrol Aircraft:
On January 11, 2017 it was revealed that the Chinese military had interfered more than once with the activities by Australian aircraft patrolling South China Sea[Pete Comment – Australian AP-3C Orions are known to patrol there regularly]. The report of the interference arose from a meeting between Japanese, Australia and US officials in mid December 2016. Australian officials explained the situation, and stressed the need to strengthen defence cooperation among the three countries and the necessity of collaboration with ASEAN including Thailand and the Philippines. This report comes from Japan’s Sankei News at http://www.sankei.com/politics/news/170112/plt1701120006-n1.htmlin Japanese.
Sankei News reports:
The Australian side explained at the mid December 2016 meeting between Japanese, US and Australian officials that the Australian patrol aircraft operating in the area around the South China Sea are periodically obstructed by Chinese military aircraft. As a concrete example, the case was reported of a top of the line Chinese Shenyang J-11 jet fighterapproaching the Australian patrol plane on September 26, 2016.
[Pete’s Comment, The Australian patrol aircraft are likely to be AP-3C Orions, of No. 92 Wing Based at Edinburgh RAAF Base in South Australia. To get to South China Sea the AP-3Cs may go via RAAF Darwin or RAAF Tindal in the Northern Territory and then stop at Malaysian Airforce Base Butterworth or Singapore’s Paya Lebar Air Base]
To the Chinese air forces credit the Australian side said that the intercept was "professional” with the Chinese pilot being “highly skilled.”
[Pete’s Comment – a professional intercept usually means that the Chinese pilot would have alerted, in English, on the radio, the Australian patrol aircraft, that it was being intercepted. The Chinese pilot should communicate clearly what he wants done – usually a message that an aircraft move out of airspace that China claims as “Chinese airspace”. The Chinese J-11 would then have moved gradually and predictably towards the patrol aircraft. A key behaviour would be the J-11 pilot must maintain internationally accepted separation distances from the patrol aircraft. This allows both aircraft to fly straight and level in a predictable manner. This would avoid the usual main danger, which is a collision].
On Chinese opposition to Australian Orion aircraft patrols over the South China Sea in November 2015 see Submarine Matters article of December 16, 2015.
2. Separately, regarding Japan’s military sales efforts:
The Japanese military (Japanese Self Defence Force (JSDF)) are enthusiastic about selling the C2 military transport aircraft and P-1 maritime patrol aircraft.
In October 2016 the Japanese military invited staff officers from 10 countries (USA, Philippines, Cambodia, Indonesia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Saudi Arabia) to presentations on the C-2 . See http://www.sankei.com/politics/photos/161013/plt1610130028-p5.html[in Japanese] which indicates the surprisingly large size of the C-2 that the staff officers (in the Sankei photo) are viewing. The C-2 is parked at Iruma Air Base, Japan.
3. Japanese Prime Minister Abe Visiting Australia Very Soon:
On January 12, 2017 Japanese Prime Minister Abe started a two day State visit to the Philippines where he will, of course, meet Philippine President Duterte.
[It will be interesting if Duterte voices appreciation for the patrol boat coast guard aid Japan has been supplying to the Philippines. This is in comparison to the much larger scale loan/aid money Duterte extracted from China and Russia in 2016.].
Prime Minister Abe will then visit Australia from January 13 to 15, 2017 when Abe is likely to discuss defence issues with Australian Prime Minister Turnbull [Pete’s Comment. It is likely that Defence and Foreign Ministers from Japan and Australia will also meet] and Abe’s tour will also take in Indonesia and Vietnam.
If Abe remains true to form he may discuss C-2 and P-1 sales with New Zealand representatives at some stage – perhaps a phone call or short meeting with New Zealand’s new Prime Minister Bill English.
Pete and S.