Opinion
China and Russia are threatening American aircrews; why won't the Pentagon stop them?
by Tom Rogan
| May 29, 2020 06:20 AM
It's not an easy time to serve on U.S. military reconnaissance aircraft.
After all, the past few weeks have seen those aircrews face repeated, aggressive interceptions by armed fighter aircraft from China and Russia. China's fighter aircraft have been harassing RC-135, P-8, or P-3 aircraft over the South China Sea. Russia is threatening P-8s over the Mediterranean Sea. The photo atop this article shows the most recent Russian interception this week.
This is a real problem.
While these incidents might seem like simple game playing, there is a real risk of miscalculation. Recall what happened in 2001, when a U.S. reconnaissance aircraft nearly went into the South China Sea after an aggressive Chinese fighter pilot crashed into it. Fortunately, the 24-strong aircrew were able to stabilize the plane and land at a Chinese military base.
The issue isn't simply the risk of pilot error, it's also the threat of wake turbulence. Neither Chinese nor Russian fighter pilots are trying to kill Americans here, but by flying erratic high-speed maneuvers in front of the U.S. aircraft, they create wake turbulence, which puts the U.S. crews at risk of losing control. If enough turbulence is created, the Americans could die...
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/china-and-russia-are-threatening-american-aircrews-why-wont-the-pentagon-stop-them
