4 Chinese fighter jets, 2 spy planes penetrate Taiwans ADIZ

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Four Chinese fighter jets and two surveillance aircraft on Thursday (Aug. 12) intruded into Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).

On Thursday, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) reported that one Shaanxi Y-8 electronic warfare plane (Y-8 EW), one Shaanxi Y-8 electronic intelligence plan (Y-8 ELINT), and four Shenyang J-16 fighter jets penetrated into the southwestern corner of Taiwan's ADIZ. Taiwan's Air Force responded by scrambling fighter jets to drive the planes away, broadcasting radio warnings, and tracking the aircraft with land-based anti-aircraft missiles.

The presence of the jet fighters was significant because over the past two months, the People's Liberation Army Airforce (PLAAF) has sent just one or two slow-moving turboprops to buzz the zone. The last time China dispatched fighter jets into Taiwan's ADIZ was on June 17, when it sent two J-16 fighter jets, four Chengdu J-7 fighter planes, and one Shaanxi Y-8 EW aircraft.

The largest incursion by PLAAF aircraft into Taiwan's ADIZ on record occurred on June 15, when a total of 28 warplanes swarmed the southern end of the ADIZ, including one Shaanxi Y-8 anti-submarine warfare plane, four Xian H-6 bombers, one Shaanxi Y-8 electronic warfare aircraft, two Shaanxi KJ-500 airborne early warning and control aircraft, 14 Shenyang J-16 fighter jets, and six Shenyang J-11 fighter jets.