THIS is the moment a Chinese fighter jet got achingly close to a mid-air crash with a US bomber in the South China Sea.
Footage showed the Chinese J-11 jet coming as close as just 10 feet of the B-52 aircraft on Tuesday.
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It was the latest chest-puffing move in what American officials described as increasingly risky behaviour by Chinese military aircraft.
US military blasted both the pilot and the manoeuvre, saying it unnecessarily put both pilots at risk.
They added the U.S. Air Force B-52 had been lawfully conducting routine missions over international waters in the South China Sea when the Chinese jet identified approached “at excessive speed”.
The Chinese pilot then “flew in an unsafe and unprofessional manner, demonstrated poor airmanship by flying below, in front of, and within 10 feet of the B-52, putting both aircraft in danger of collision,” the US military statement said.
“We are concerned this pilot was unaware of how close he came to causing a collision,” officials said, indicating the incident could have been an accident.
Earlier in May, another Chinese fighter jet nearly smashed into a US surveillance plane over the South China Sea.
The close encounter was labelled “unnecessarily aggressive” by the Pentagon, who slammed its Pacific rivals for the dangerous manoeuvre.
According to the US command for the Indo-Pacific, a Chinese J-16 aircraft flew in front of the US RC-135 plane and forced it to fly through its turbulence.
Footage recorded from the American’s cockpit showed the terrifying incident that happened last week.
The Chinese warplane was seen rocketing past the RC-135, leaving a trail of tremors in its wake.
The US airforce crew then appeared to steady themselves, as their plane shook uncontrollably.
The J-16 then disappears into international air space.
While no one was injured, US Airforce chiefs lambasted China over its actions.
The US command said: “The PRC pilot flew directly in front of the nose of the RC-135, forcing the US aircraft to fly through its wake turbulence.
“The RC-135 was conducting safe and routine operations over the South China Sea in international airspace, in accordance with international law.
“The United States will continue to fly, sail, and operate – safely and responsibly – wherever international law allows.
“Indo-Pacific Joint Force will continue to fly in international airspace with due regard for the safety of all vessels and aircraft under international law.
“We expect all countries in the Indo-Pacific region to use international airspace safely and in accordance with international law.”
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