Chinese Su-27 backs from Taiwanese F-16's.

[John Doe]

Taiwan Today

A mainland Chinese fighter jet crossed the median line in the Taiwan Strait in late June while attempting to chase off a U.S. Air Force U-2 reconnaissance plane on a monitoring mission in the region, according to foreign sources.

In response, the ROC Air Force quickly dispatched two F-16 fighters to the area, at which point the mainland Su-27 fighter returned to the mainland side of the median line, the sources said.

The ROC military, which closely monitored the whole course of events as they unfolded, determined the incident to be an isolated case. Afterwards, it notified the Presidential Office of the incident.

Fan Chiang Tai-chi, spokesman for the office, said the Ministry of National Defense handled the matter based on established formulas.

MND spokesman Lo Shao-ho pointed out that Taiwan’s military has the ability to effectively monitor the activities of mainland military aircraft.

“The military deals immediately with any unusual situation according to standard procedures, to safeguard Taiwan’s air space,” Lo explained.

According to the sources, the incident occurred while the U-2 aircraft was flying from the U.S. Air Force’s Osan Air Base in South Korea to Kadena Air Base in the Japanese prefecture of Okinawa.

The U.S. Air Force reportedly informed the Taiwan side in advance of the monitoring mission, whose route passed through Taiwan’s air defense identification zone. (SB)

 

[amalakas]

Sad how China's got nothing better than Su-27 and its ripoff in service.

technically speaking, if this was for real, and flown by a decent pilot, the Su-27 would have had those two F-16s for breakfast.

but then again, if the Su-27 was flown by a mediocre pilot, and the F-16 by half a decent one, it would be the other way around.

life eh

 

[Abingdonboy]

Tbh what do you expect? Live fire? Open war declared for this engagement? this sort of thing happens all the time- enemy planes starting into other country's airspaces, the only reason this has been reported on is because of the lexis- PLAF, SU-27, U-2, US, Taiwan, F-16. Otherwise it's a non-story (which it is anyways).

 

[siegecrossbow]

technically speaking, if this was for real, and flown by a decent pilot, the Su-27 would have had those two F-16s for breakfast.

but then again, if the Su-27 was flown by a mediocre pilot, and the F-16 by half a decent one, it would be the other way around.

life eh

amalakas I thought you would know better. Read the article again. The Sukhoi, if it were indeed a Sukhoi at all, did not engage the F-16s when the pilot found out that he crossed the line. How did you come to the conclusion regarding the skills of the pilots?

 

[siegecrossbow]

Here is the version of the story with slightly more detail on the incident from Hong Kong's Phoenix network. There is an accompanying video to the story but both are, unfortunately, in Chinese. I'll try to do a translation of the essential parts:

?????????? ??F16??????_????_???

六月下旬，解放军苏27战机于大陆东南沿海驱赶执行任务的美军U2高空侦察机，其中一架苏27越过海峡中线，台湾两架F16战机接到命令后，紧急升空并前往拦截，但解放军越线后随即返航，没有发生对峙的情形。

During the second half of June, Chinese Su-27 fighters (two) intercepted American U2 spy planes and one of them crossed over the "mid-line" in the Taiwanese strait. Two Taiwanese F-16 fighters took off to intercept the Su-27 after they received orders but the Su-27 turned back as soon as it crossed the line. The two sides did not confront one another.

As for why the Taiwanese ministry of defense leaked this bit of news now instead of June, when the incident occurred. The article answers the question indirectly:

台湾军方研判，大陆军机越界应该只是个案，没有多做回应。不过蓝绿立委口径一致表示，希望美国能够加速批准对台军售，而外传美国可能会以F16A/B型战机升级取代F16C/D型的采购案，国民党立委林郁方表示，台湾方面仍然希望以F16C/D型为优先考量。

Both the Pan-Green and Pan-Blue Congressmen expressed the desire to acquire F-16C/D fighters from the United States.

 

[siegecrossbow]

The Taiwanese account of the story which I believe Taiwan Today took certain elements from:

共機趕美機上月衝過界 F16攔截
【聯合報╱記者許紹軒、王光慈、陳思豪／台北報導】

2011.07.25 10:12 am

馬政府上任以來，解放軍軍機首度為了美軍機越過海峽中線！境外消息來源指出，六月下旬解放軍Su-27戰機驅趕於東南沿海執行任務的美軍U-2S高空偵察機，其中一架衝過頭越過海峽中線，我方全程嚴密監控，下令二架F-16戰機緊急起飛，Su-27才掉頭離去。

軍方研判此事為個案，事後透過既有程序上報總統府。但府方態度低調，國安會不證實也不否認，強調由國防部統一對外說明。總統府發言人范姜泰基表示，一切由國防部依標準作業程序處理。

陸委會副主委劉德勳說，並未收到國防部的消息，無法對外說明。至於事後是否曾透過兩岸管道向中國抗議？劉德勳表示，過去陸委會未處理過這樣的案例。海基會發言人馬紹章則說，海基會也未接獲國防部、陸委會要求透過兩會機制處理此一事件的指示。

軍事發言人羅紹和表示，國軍能有效掌握中共軍戰機活動情形，「遇有異常狀況」，均立即依據相關作業規定與機制處理，以確保我空防安全。

據了解，這架U-2隸屬美國空軍駐紮於韓國烏山基地的第五偵察機中隊，六月下旬某日，轉場到日本沖繩嘉手納基地，起飛前往中國大陸東南沿海，於海峽中線以西與中國領空之間的空域執行偵察任務，中方發現後立即派出二架Su-27戰機驅趕。

Su-27戰機的最大飛行高度為一萬八千公尺，遠低於U-2S的三萬公尺，U-2雖在公海上空，獲知攔截機逼近便轉向返航，這二架Su-27從內陸一路追到台灣海峽，眼看就要逼近中線，一架Su-27及時掉頭，另一架卻直衝海峽中線。

Su-27一越中線，負責海峽上空防空任務的幾個天弓飛彈連待命以防萬一，而二架F-16接到命令立刻以最大推力緊急起飛前往攔截，隨著F-16的升空，衝過頭的中方戰機也轉向返航，狀況解除。

這次U-2偵察機執行任務航線經過台灣的防空識別區，依慣例美軍曾透過管道知會我方。

According to this article the U-2 spy plane operated by the USAF was flying on the "midline" in the Taiwanese strait when two Su-27s were sent to intercept it. One of the Flankers turned back before it crossed the mid-line while the other kept going until two F-16s were sent to intercept it.

Although the article clearly tried to imply that the Flanker returned flight due to the timely interception of the F-16s there is no evidence that either side tried to engage one another. However there is one interesting piece of information leaked by this article: the Taiwanese military deployed Tiangong missiles just in case the Su-27 goes too far.

 

[Stargate]

How reliable is that missile?
Did they were able to change the course of that U2?

 

[siegecrossbow]

My conclusion, after comparing the stories from both sides, is that the Taiwanese side wishes to play up the incident while the Mainland side wishes to downplay it. The reason is not, as many of our hot blooded mainland Chinese, Taiwanese, Indian, American, etc. friends would believe, that the mainland or Taiwan wishes to play up one another's military prowess by heaping praises upon the respective party's pilots. Their concerns are a lot more mature and practical:

Taiwan: The primary concern is the acquisition of F-16C/D after Ma failed to convince the Americans to approve the tender for the upteenth time. This is evident from the timing of the article (after Ma's proposal was rejected) and the observation by Phoenix TV's crew regarding the support by both the Pan Green and Pan Blue Congressmen for the F-16C/D acquisition.

Mainland: Mainland China wishes to play down the incident to avoid appear "threatening" to the Taiwanese public. Note the detail of the Chinese Sukhois turning back without engaging the F-16s, a detail absent from the Taiwanese version. It appears that the Chinese media wants to portray the "crossing" as an accident event or even pilot mistake, which would fit Hu's "cooperative" policies towards Taiwan since Ma became president.

 

[siegecrossbow]

How reliable is that missile?
Did they were able to change the course of that U2?

According to both the Taiwanese and mainland reports the U-2 changed course and headed back after the Sukhois took off. This is interesting since the U-2 has a far higher operational ceiling than the Sukhois. Perhaps the U-2 wasn't flying at the highest it could fly and was within the Flanker's interception range?

 

[LiberalAtheist]

i'm surprised ROC would actually use a U-2 this isn't the cold war any more spy satellites are better for recon on other territory, then again this U-2 could have been testing Chinese air defense....

 

[siegecrossbow]

i'm surprised ROC would actually use a U-2 this isn't the cold war any more spy satellites are better for recon on other territory, then again this U-2 could have been testing Chinese air defense....

Not the ROC bro, the U.S. The U-2s were American planes originally stationed in Ryuku.

Spy planes are still important since they can take higher resolution photos than satellites ever could. More importantly they can take pictures whenever where ever as opposed to when the satellite passes over the target in question.

 

[Stargate]

I think he is right, they might have been testing Chinese Air defense systems to see where you guys are at the current moment and to analyse your future undertaking in that matter.

 

[DARKY]

According to both the Taiwanese and mainland reports the U-2 changed course and headed back after the Sukhois took off. This is interesting since the U-2 has a far higher operational ceiling than the Sukhois. Perhaps the U-2 wasn't flying at the highest it could fly and was within the Flanker's interception range?

Does the celling height matter if you've got AMBVRAAM on your birds.........not to mention the possible SAM batteries Itching to launch a salvo at the U-2.......I believe that PLAAF must have had interceptors which could take down a U-2 even with guns at their maximum celling height........something like Mig 25.

 

[siegecrossbow]

Does the celling height matter if you've got AMBVRAAM on your birds.........not to mention the possible SAM batteries Itching to launch a salvo at the U-2.......I believe that PLAAF must have had interceptors which could take down a U-2 even with guns at their maximum celling height........something like Mig 25.

J-8s are no where as good as Mig 25s and the Mig 31 deal didn't fall through due to the Flanker deal... I do agree that SAM batteries should have no problem taking down a U-2, you have Soviet and Chinese precedences in the 60s. However I don't think either side was actually prepared to attack one another this time. Times are different.

 

[DARKY]

J-8s are no where as good as Mig 25s and the Mig 31 deal didn't fall through due to the Flanker deal... I do agree that SAM batteries should have no problem taking down a U-2, you have Soviet and Chinese precedences in the 60s. However I don't think either side was actually prepared to attack one another this time. Times are different.

It would have been more appropriate for a country like China to shoot down a U-2 if it ever entered their air space.......and send a strong message to US........if you allow such leniency they would soon send a SR-71 black bird.....for a ferry over China.