On a Wednesday in August this year, US correspondent Mallory Shelburn flew a P-8A anti-submarine aircraft from the Kadena Air Base in Okinawa on a reconnaissance mission in the South China Sea aboard a P-8A anti-submarine aircraft of the 16th Patrol Squadron of the United States Navy. He used his diary to record what he saw and heard in the skies over the South China Sea, especially the process of intercepting the P-8A by a Su-35 fighter of our army.
The P-8A is an anti-submarine patrol aircraft converted from a Boeing-737, and the crew generally consists of 3 pilots and multiple reconnaissance personnel. After takeoff, the P-8A passed through the Bass Strait and entered the South China Sea. After about two hours of flying, a KC-135 air tanker refueled the P-8A, allowing the P-8A to operate over the South China Sea for extended periods of time. The flight path of the P-8A in the South China Sea covers sensitive waters such as the Paracel Islands and the Nansha Islands.
After refueling in the air, the P-8A and KC-135 continued their flight in the direction of the Paracel Islands. At about 1:30 p.m., when the P-8A flew to a position about 160 kilometers from Woody Island, it encountered a Su-35 fighter of our army. Lieutenant Gordon Kiessling, a crew member of the P-8A, said that this is not the first time that they have been intercepted by our troops, and every time they approach Woody Island, they will see our fighters appear. Another crew member, Erin McDonald, said it was like a routine and very punctual.
The Su-35 fighter of our army turned on the transponder and identified itself. The crews of the P-8A were also aware of the impending interception, and some even tore off their name tags in case they were seen by our pilots. The Su-35 fighters have always remained on the left side of the P-8A, and the two aircraft are very close to each other, so that the movements of the other side can be clearly seen. Su-35 fighters, always on the side of the Paracel Islands, tried to force the P-8A to change course. The P-8A, as a large aircraft, is not as maneuverable as the Su-35, and in order to avoid a collision, the crew of the P-8A informs our pilots about their course and intentions.
Journalist Mallory Sherburn noted that the Su-35 fighter only carried two air-to-air missiles and two pods, which was far below its maximum payload capacity. This, he thought, may be because the Su-35 fighters are not intended to really engage the P-8A, but only to demonstrate the sovereignty and deterrence of our army. He also thought that if the Su-35 fighters really wanted to attack the P-8A, maybe it would be enough to use aerial guns.
During the interception of the escort flight, our pilots will issue a declaration of sovereignty and a warning to the P-8A, and the P-8A will reply with some of their messages. However, this communication is usually one-way, and our pilots do not communicate much with the P-8A, they only tell them what they should do, otherwise countermeasures will be taken.
For example, in May this year, a Chinese J-16 fighter intercepted a US RC-135V reconnaissance plane, flew directly in front of its nose, and released jamming bombs, causing RC-135V to suffer strong turbulence and cause turbulence. In the eyes of the US military, this kind of action is very dangerous and provocative, because the slightest carelessness can lead to serious consequences.
At around 2:20 p.m., the Su-35 fighter and the P-8A ended the interception, which means that the P-8A has left the air defense zone of the Paracel Islands. The P-8A continued to fly along the nine-dash line in the direction of the Spratly Islands. At around 4 p.m., the P-8A flew into the airspace near Subi Reef and Second Thomas Reef. There, the P-8A received a declaration of sovereignty from our defenders of the reef, and the crew of the P-8A responded to this message, saying that they were flying outside the airspace.
When Redford, the crew of the P-8A, observed the facilities on the islands and reefs of our army through reconnaissance equipment, he told reporters that the Chinese have accumulated a large number of military assets on these islands, and the ability to operate these assets is also very high, and he believes that the world has noticed this, and the United States attaches great importance to it.
By military assets, he refers to the islands, reefs, airfields, and military installations that our military has built in the South China Sea. These assets are an important means for our military to safeguard sovereignty and security in the South China Sea, and they are also an important part of building a battlefield environment conducive to our military.
After that, the P-8A began to return, and on the way back, they flew to the airspace near Scarborough Shoal and spotted two coast guard ships of our army. On their way back to the Kadena base through the Luzon Strait, they spotted another Type 054A frigate of our army. On the same day, they also confirmed the activities of our Shandong warship in the South China Sea.
At 7:25 p.m., the P-8A landed at Kadena Air Base, ending a mission that lasted more than nine hours.
The total round-trip distance from Kadena Air Base to the Spratly Islands is five or six thousand kilometers, which also shows that although the mission of air refueling for large and medium-sized P-8A is over, the information they have collected still needs to be further analyzed and processed. The crew of the P-8A said that their mission was to provide the United States with intelligence on the South China Sea so that the United States could develop its policies and strategies accordingly. They said that they would not make any assessment of China's actions, but would only record and report them objectively.
The crews of the P-8A also admitted that their activities over the South China Sea would cause discontent and reactions from China. They say they respect China's sovereignty, but they also insist on U.S. freedom of navigation and international law. They said they wanted to maintain a safe distance and communication with China's military forces in a peaceful and professional manner.
The crew of the P-8A also said that they have a certain understanding of China's military capabilities and technology, but they also have their own advantages and confidence. They say their aircraft are the most advanced anti-submarine patrol aircraft in the world, with powerful reconnaissance, surveillance, strike and jamming capabilities. They say their planes can carry all sorts of **, including torpedoes, missiles, bombs, and electronic warfare equipment. They said that their planes can conduct joint operations with other US aircraft, ships, submarines, and satellites to form a powerful networked combat system.
The crew of the P-8A also said that they were not afraid of interception and threats from China, and that they believed that this was a normal military behavior, and that as long as both sides followed the rules and etiquette, there would be no dangerous accidents. They said they would continue their mission and would not back down because of China's opposition.
The words of the P-8A crew may sound very confident, but they also have to admit that China's military presence and influence in the South China Sea is no longer something they can ignore or underestimate. They said they had noticed that China had built various military facilities on islands and reefs in the South China Sea, including airfields, radars, missiles, ships, warplanes and more. They said they had noticed that China's military activities in the South China Sea were no longer limited to defense, but had a certain offensive and deterrent capability. They say they have noticed that China's military power in the South China Sea is no longer something they can easily deal with.
The words of the crew of the P-8A also reflect the plight and anxiety of the United States in the South China Sea. The United States has always regarded the South China Sea as where its strategic interests lie, and has always tried to maintain its military superiority and influence in the South China Sea. The United States has always expressed dissatisfaction and opposition to China's sovereignty and security in the South China Sea, and has been trying to provoke disputes and confrontation in the South China Sea. Under the pretext of freedom of navigation and international law, the United States has frequently dispatched military aircraft to the South China Sea to harass and provoke in an attempt to suppress and contain China's development and rise.
However, the United States also has to face the reality that China's military power in the South China Sea is no longer something they can underestimate or ignore. China's military forces in the South China Sea already possess certain self-defense and countermeasure capabilities, can effectively protect its sovereignty and security, and can effectively resist foreign intrusion and provocation. China's military power in the South China Sea has become an important force in the South China Sea, an important participant in the South China Sea, and an important defender of stability in the South China Sea.
The US military action in the South China Sea is no longer what they imagined, they can do whatever they want, they can be unscrupulous, and they can blindly provoke. The U.S. military operations in the South China Sea have faced China's strong military pressure and deterrence, China's resolute military response and countermeasures, and China's stern military warnings and countermeasures. The US military action in the South China Sea is no longer a unilateral act, but a confrontation between the two sides, a game between the two sides, and a contest between the two sides.
The U.S. military operation in the South China Sea is no longer a risk-free act, but a risky act, an act with a price, and an act with consequences. The U.S. military action in the South China Sea is no longer a meaningless act, but a meaningful act, an influential act, and an action.
This mission gave journalist Mallory Shelburn a deep sense of the presence and strength of our military in the South China Sea. He said that the military activities of Chinese in the South China Sea have exceeded the expectations and tolerance of the United States. He believes that the United States should strengthen cooperation with its allies to maintain freedom and stability in the South China Sea.
However, he also admitted that our military's military superiority in the South China Sea is no longer something that the US military can easily reverse. He said: Our army's military expenditure is already on par with that of the US military, and our army's military development has become more rapid and effective. He said that if this trend continues, our military will achieve greater superiority in the South China Sea, while the US military will face greater challenges.