Chinese combat drone encircles Taiwan for first time

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Between 6 a.m. on Thursday (April 27) and 6 a.m. on Friday (April 28), Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence (MND) monitored 38 Chinese military aircraft, six naval vessels, and one military aircraft that was circumnavigating Taiwan for the first time, reported Taiwan news.

The Ministry of National Defence of Taiwan said that 38 People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) military aircraft and six People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels had been tracked around Taiwan.

Citing the MND, Taiwan news reported that 19 of the identified aircraft entered Taiwan’s air defence identification zone (ADIZ) in the southwest, southeast, or northeast at 9 a.m. on Friday.

The aircraft reportedly tracked in the ADIZ included five Suhkoi Su-30 fighter jets, eight Chengdu J-10 fighter jets, two Shenyang J-16 fighter jets, one TB-001 reconnaissance (RECCE) and strike UAV, one Harbin BZK-005 RECCE drone, one Shaanxi Y-8 anti-submarine warfare plane, and one Shaanxi Y-8 RECCE plane, according to Taiwan news.
Fighter jets flew over either the line’s southwest or middle edge. The two Y-8 aircraft flew in the ADIZ’s southwest corner.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked 12 Chinese military aircraft and four naval vessels around the country.

Just off the southwest side of the median line, the two Y-8 aircraft landed in the southwest corner of the ADIZ. (ANI)