US Releases Declassified Images of ‘Unsafe’ Encounters With Chinese Fighter Jets

The US Defense Department released a series of declassified images and videos highlighting the "unsafe and unprofessional" behavior of Chinese fighter pilots toward their American counterparts in international airspace.

The 15 incidents above the East and South China Seas show People's Liberation Army pilots coming within some 20 feet (6 meters) of US aircraft, in some instances cutting in front of them. In one episode, a fighter jet performed a barrel roll under a US plane, forcing the pilot to take defensive measures to prevent a collision, the department said.