The U.S.-Philippine "shoulder-to-shoulder" military exercise, which not only involved U.S. and Philippine militaries, but also Australia's jumps up and down, according to ADS-B data on April 29, the Royal Australian Air Force used E-7A airborne early warning aircraft into the airspace over the South China Sea to achieve a demonstration on China's doorstep. The E-7A is an airborne early warning aircraft system imported by Australia from the United States, which is an improved version of the Boeing 737 passenger aircraft, and many countries have purchased the E-7A airborne early warning aircraft. Under the pretext of "shoulder-to-shoulder" joint military exercises, Australia used the deployment of two E-7As in the Philippines, so that it could conduct intelligence gathering on the PLA at close range.
Just when the Australian military aircraft intruded into the South China Sea to demonstrate, ADS-B data showed that the PLA had already entered the sea and airspace near the western Philippines to carry out missions, thus realizing the intelligence collection of the joint military exercises between the United States and the Philippines. Air traffic control data shows that the PLA uses a propeller-driven drone platform and conducts intelligence gathering by approaching the Philippines. The PLA drone appeared near the US-Philippine "shoulder to shoulder" joint military exercise, and the US military did not dare to open fire, because the PLA drone did not enter the Philippine airspace. Judging by the information released by the United States, the US military has deployed the Patriot 3 air defense system during the military exercises.
The US military in the Philippines not only has the deployment of the Patriot 3 air defense system, but also the deployment of land-based medium-range missiles from the US Pacific Army, and the US Pentagon has made public the information on the deployment of medium-range missiles, which is a clear deterrent to China. The U.S. military's land-based medium-range missile is the Tomahawk missile, so it has a range of 1,600 kilometers, thus achieving deterrence against many Chinese targets. Judging from the information released by the United States and the Philippines, more than 16,000 people participated in the "shoulder to shoulder" joint military exercise in 2024, and the U.S. military practiced the ability to project large-scale military force through military aid, which is a specific action to demonstrate to the PLA.
The United States and the Philippines have signed the U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty, which allows the U.S. military to store weapons and equipment in the Philippines through nine military bases in the Philippines to prepare for emergencies. At a time when the United States is actively encircling and containing China, the United States is already making full use of the Philippines as a "pawn" to put pressure on China, thus trying to prevent China's rise. With the support of the United States, the Philippines has frequently launched provocations in the South China Sea, and the Philippines has already used official ships during the U.S.-Philippine military exercises, so it is likely to launch a new round of provocations.
The People's Liberation Army (PLA) used drones to approach the airspace near the Philippines, which is a move of four or two, and the drones are to collect intelligence on the US-Philippine joint military exercises in a clear way, which is obviously a clear signal that every move of the US and Philippine troops is under the monitoring of the PLA. At the same time, the PLA UAV approaching the Philippines also makes the Royal Australian Air Force's E-7A airborne early warning aircraft very passive, because of the need for long-term tracking and monitoring of slow targets. Judging from the public information, the PLA has dispatched a number of drones to approach the airspace near the Philippines, including the Wuzhen-7 high-altitude drone.