Analysts Say Aircraft Were Close Enough That An Accident Was Possible

Video footage released Thursday by China shows a close encounter between one of its aircraft and a Japanese F-15 over the East China Sea.

Analysts who have watched the video say that the Japanese aircraft was armed with missiles, but also was close enough to the Chinese airplane as to make a collision possible.

The Washington Post reports that the Chinese Ministry of Defense said that two Japanese F-15s had entered its ADIZ over the East China Sea. The airspace in the region is the subject of dispute between the two countries. Ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng said the purpose of the incursion was to conduct reconnaissance, as well as trail a regular patrol of a Chinese Tu-154 airplane.

Japan, on the other hand, said that on May 24th, China had sent aircraft to purposely approach their airplanes at "an unusually close distance."

The distance between the airplanes in the video released Thursday was estimated to be about 30 meters (just under 100 feet).

Geng said that the actions by the Japanese pilots is dangerous and "obviously proactive."

(Japanese F-15 pictured in file photo)

FMI: www.state.gov