The mission involved long-range bombers and escort fighters flying through corridors used in previous joint patrols since 2019. Regional governments said the activity highlighted intensifying air operations around Japan’s southwestern islands.

Joint Patrol Enters Key Routes

China said the patrol followed an annual cooperation plan with Russia and marked their 10th joint mission.

Aircraft operated over the East China Sea and western Pacific, including areas south of Japan’s main islands. Officials emphasized that all flights remained in international airspace.

Bomber Formations Conduct Long Flight

The aircraft package included Russian Tu-95 bombers and Chinese H-6 bombers, supported by J-16, J-11, Su-30, and the KJ-500A early-warning plane.

According to regional monitoring, the formation executed an extended sortie lasting nearly eight hours from the Sea of Japan into the Pacific. Fighter escorts joined and detached at multiple stages of the route.

Japan And Korea Scramble Jets

Japan deployed fighters as the formation passed between Okinawa and Miyako, a narrow strait frequently used in Chinese military transits.

South Korea reported seven Russian and two Chinese aircraft entering its air defense identification zone, though no sovereign airspace was breached. Officials said the increasing tempo of joint flights raises operational risks.

Regional Tensions Rise Further

Japan said earlier confrontations—such as radar lock-ons involving carrier-borne aircraft near its forces—have heightened concern over escalation.

Analysts noted that China’s Liaoning carrier group was simultaneously training in the western Pacific, though routes did not intersect with the bomber flight. The patrol was interpreted as a strategic signal at a time of deteriorating Japan–China relations.