In a landmark move, Russian and Chinese bombers executed a joint mission over the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea during a summit among the U.S., India, Japan, and Australia. This took place concurrently with Russian Pacific Fleet’s major drills in the Pacific and multilateral exercises involving U.S., Russian, and Chinese warships under the Indonesian Navy in the Makassar Strait.
Key Points:
- The joint Russian-Chinese bomber operation led to the scrambling of fighter jets from both the Japan Air Self-Defense Force and South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, though there were no reported violations of Korean airspace.
- As part of the joint military endeavor, more than 60 Russian warships and supply vessels, approximately 35 aircraft, and over 11,000 military personnel participated in exercises to track mock enemy submarines and organize ship detachments’ air defense.
- The concurrent multilateral exercise in Indonesia involved 36 countries, focusing on regional cooperation and Humanitarian and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations. U.S. participation included the Littoral Combat Ship USS Manchester (LCS-14).
- Prior to these maneuvers, a multilateral exercise titled “Noble Wolf” involving the U.S., Japan, Australia, and Canada took place, demonstrating global military collaboration amid these tension-driven events.
- China’s Ministry of National Defense briefly confirmed the joint patrol with Russia over the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea, indicating this operation forms part of the annual cooperation plan between Chinese and Russian militaries.
