TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Six Chinese fighter jets, two bombers, and three surveillance aircraft on Tuesday (Aug. 17) intruded into Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).

On Tuesday, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) reported that one Shaanxi Y-8 anti-submarine warfare plane (Y-8 ASW), one Shaanxi Y-8 electronic warfare plane (Y-8 EW), one Shaanxi KJ-500 airborne early warning and control aircraft (AEW&C), six Shenyang J-16 fighter jets, and two Xian H-6K bombers 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 and bombers was significant as this is only the second time over the past two months that the People's Liberation Army Airforce (PLAAF) has sent more than just one or two slow-moving turboprops to buzz the zone. Most recently, on Aug. 12, the PLAAF dispatched one Y-8 EW, one Y-8 ELINT, and four J-16 fighter jets into the southwest sector of Taiwan's ADIZ.

The largest incursion by PLAAF aircraft into Taiwan's ADIZ on record occurred on June 15, when a total of 28 military aircraft entered 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.