In just a matter of weeks, Russia and china have initiated the "unprofessional" interception of U.S. planes flying near Syria and over the South China Sea. The trend has increased lately, raising alert levels at the Pentagon for possible instances of "hot" intercepts that may lead to a serious diplomatic crisis.
Russian and Chinese pilots pulled air-show stunts in front of American pilots
After the "unprofessional" intercept by China of a U.S. surveillance aircraft over international waters earlier last week, Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Harringian told reporters that a similar incident happened two weeks before with a Russian fighter in Syria.
Harringian said that the Russian fighter did a barrel roll over an American KC-10A military aircraft on a routine flight over Syria.
However, unlike China, which denounced the "unprofessional" attitude of its pilots, Russia quickly sent an apology. Harringian said that the U.S. Air Force is not allowed to cooperate with Russia over military operations, but has a communication line called the "deconfliction hotline" to avoid mishaps with Russian counterparts.
However the growing trend of American aircraft being intercepted "unprofessionally" is alarming for Pentagon officials. With every risky intercept, there is the possibility of an altercation that could spark a serious diplomatic crisis with China and Russia.
On May 26, two Chinese aircraft intercepted a U.S. aircraft over the South China Sea. It was labeled as "unprofessional" by the American crew as the Chinese pilot flew threateningly close to the surveillance plane. The Pentagon stated that the plane was flying over international waters and was operating within the parameters of international law.
Why are Russia and China taunting U.S. aircraft with airshow antics?
The United States military is certainly superior in terms of experience when speaking of war and conflict. One has to wonder what these other pilots are attempting to do by essentially making fun of American pilots, while potentially putting countless lives at risk in the process.
China and Russia are not brimming with military experience, but with anti-Western propaganda. This sense of superiority is achieved not by accomplishments but by indoctrination. In the end, The United States must take all necessary measures to address this rise in intercepts coming from countries eager to show off.
