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In April 2001, a plane collision accident occurred over the South China Sea that shocked China and abroad:
One US EP-3 electronic reconnaissance plane was expelled by two J-8II while illegally collecting Chinese military intelligence, but the US plane suddenly turned maliciously when it was driven away and collided with one of the J-8II numbered 81192, causing the J-8II plane to be destroyed and killed.
After the incident, the domestic people were indignant, and the pilot of the crash, Wang Wei, was posthumously awarded the title of "Sea and Air Guard".
Sino-US aircraft collision accident in the South China Sea
It has to be admitted that the hard power of the Chinese Air Force at that time was far from that of the US military, so that when intercepting the US aircraft, pilots were required to risk their lives to accompany the flight.
However, after 22 years of development, the U.S.-China air interception has undergone a major reversal — and today's Chinese pilots can even play tricks on U.S. aircraft trying to invade Chinese airspace.
Comparison of Chinese and American air forces during the millennium
During the millennium, although the Chinese Air Force has introduced the Su-27SK and Su-30MKK from Russia, the two fourth-generation aircraft, but limited by the lack of domestic aviation industry strength, even if the Su-27SK production line is introduced, the number of domestic J-11A that the Chinese Air Force can receive every year is very limited.
J-11A fighter
According to the RAND Corporation, a U.S. think tank, in 2001, the Chinese Air Force was equipped with a total of 100 Su-27SKs and J-11A, in addition to 58 Su-30MKKs. It can be said that these 158 fourth-generation aircraft represent the most high-end combat force of the Chinese Air Force at that time.
However, due to China's vast territory, 158 fourth-generation aircraft simply cannot meet the needs of territorial air defense. Therefore, the Chinese Air Force at that time still needed a large number of J-8II and even the more backward J-7 to carry out air defense missions.
J-8II military airfield
In the Sino-US aircraft collision incident in the South China Sea, the Chinese side dispatched two J-8II, which are high-altitude high-speed interceptors, and the imaginary enemy at the beginning of the design was the Soviet Tu-22M "Backfire" bomber.
In order to cope with the Tu-22M with a top speed of Mach 2.1 and a practical ceiling of 15,000 meters, the J-8II abandoned some low-altitude and low-speed performance, and obtained a maximum speed of Mach 2.3 and a service ceiling of 18,000 meters.
Chinese J-8II fighter
But it is precisely because of this that the Sino-US aircraft collision incident in the South China Sea has been foreshadowed.
When Wang Wei, pilot No. 81192, expelled the US EP-3 reconnaissance aircraft, Wang Wei had to be extremely careful to maneuver the J-8II to stay in flight, otherwise the plane would stall if it slowed down too much. When the US aircraft maliciously turned, the J-8II, which was not fast enough, was not maneuverable enough and did not have time to avoid it, which eventually led to Wang Wei's death in a collision.
"81192" driven by martyr Wang Wei
However, after the plane collision incident in the South China Sea, the Chinese Air Force also learned lessons. In 2002, one U.S. P-3 patrol plane invaded China's airspace, and China dispatched two J-7Es to carry out the mission of dispersal.
Although the J-7E's performance in all aspects is not as good as that of the J-8II, its low-altitude and low-speed performance is relatively good, and it is suitable for accompanying US patrol aircraft with slower surveillance speeds.
Afterwards, the US military recalled that the J-7E pilot's skills were very sophisticated, not only only 46 meters away from the closest US aircraft, but also kept extremely close for up to 2 minutes, which the US military gave a "dangerous and professional" evaluation.
Chinese Air Force J-7 fighter
From being unable to fly to playing with strength
It has to be admitted that the 2001 plane collision incident in the South China Sea brought a deep tingling sensation to the Chinese navy and air force, forcing China to catch up in two major areas.
Thankfully, after 22 years of development, the Chinese Air Force has grown to become the first air force in Asia and the second largest in the world. In the face of the provocations of the US military, Chinese pilots are more comfortable in coping, and even can tease the US military with their superb skills.
Chinese Air Force
The U.S. military realized that the rise of the Chinese Air Force began with a standoff in 2014. At that time, a US P-8A reconnaissance plane approached China's territorial waters in an attempt to collect Chinese military intelligence, while the Chinese Air Force took off a J-11B to intercept and drive away.
The J-11B is a domestic deep improvement model of the Su-27SK, which is not only equipped with Thunderbolt-8 infrared fighting bombs and Thunderbolt-12 radar medium-range missiles, but also equipped with domestic turbofan-10A aviation and Doppler fire control radar, and the performance is stronger than the prototype Su-27SK.
After the encounter between Chinese and American military aircraft, the Chinese J-11B rolled from the left side of the P-8A to the right with surprising flexibility, shortening the distance between the two sides from 15 meters to 6 meters.
Chinese pilots drive away American planes
During the roll, the J-11B once flew in an inverted posture above the cockpit of the P-8A, and the Chinese pilot stared closely at the US pilot head-down, which caused huge psychological pressure on the US pilot. In the end, the US P-8A had to bow down in front of the J-11B and hastily withdraw from Chinese airspace.
In 2017, China's self-designed J-10C also showed its skills over the East China Sea.
At that time, a US EP-3 reconnaissance plane tried to enter China's airspace, and the Chinese Air Force dispatched a J-10C to intercept it. To the surprise of the US plane, the J-10C suddenly accelerated from under the EP-3 and rushed directly to the front of the EP-3 for aerial separation, and the distance between the two sides was only 91 meters.
Chinese pilots are not flying planes
In the face of the Chinese Air Force, which is skilled in air combat and has excellent fighter performance, the US military can no longer be as proud and arrogant as it was during the millennium. In the end, the US EP-3 chose to suspend the intelligence mission and return to the US military base. At this time, the Chinese Air Force was already qualified to tease the US military.
After the Chinese Air Force's most advanced J-20 stealth fighter entered service, the Chinese Air Force has mastered the advantage in the western Pacific region.
In 2022, Kenneth Wilsbach, commander of the US Pacific Air Force, admitted in an interview with reporters that the US F-35 has engaged in several air confrontations with the Chinese J-20, but the results are not satisfactory.
Chinese J-20 stealth fighter
According to the information disclosed by the US military, because the Chinese fighter formation has air police-500 early warning aircraft and J-16D electronic warfare aircraft, the US military has encountered strong electromagnetic suppression, coupled with the excellent air mobility of the J-20, the US military can only retreat in the end, and the PLA's powerful air combat system has left a deep impression on the US military.
Kenneth Wilsbach said in frustration:
"The U.S. military is losing air superiority."
Resources
[1] "81192" please return to the Ministry of Defense website
[2] The J-20 and F35 fought for the first time, and the US commander revealed several details, and the F35 is likely to have suffered a loss