China sends Flanker fighter jets to the South China Sea amid tensions

As the aircraft carrier battle group USS Ronald Reagan sails into the South China Sea, evidence has emerged that China has deployed fighter jets on an airstrip on a disputed island. Satellite images from July 15 show at least four planes present. This move comes two days after the United States Secretary of State, Michael Pompeo, declared that “Beijing’s claims for offshore resources in most of the South China Sea are completely illegal.” It is also facing a major US-led naval exercise and rising tensions across the region as a whole.

The planes are believed to be the Chinese-made J-11B variant of the famous Flanker aircraft. These are broadly equivalent to the F-15 Eagle used by the United States Air Force. China builds a range of versions of the Russian family of fighter jets, originally known as the Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker. While the exact variant is difficult to distinguish from satellite imagery, there is no doubt that it is Flankers.

The Flankers are on the Woody Island airstrip in the Parcel Islands. Although it is de facto occupied by China, it is also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam, and is one of the many islands in the disputed area. China has strengthened the facility in recent years and has previously deployed fighters and bombers there.

The plane was initially seen by open source intelligence analysts using low-resolution commercial satellite imagery. Twitter user Duan Deng posted an image Thursday. Now high-resolution satellite images from Airbus confirm the situation.

The timing of implementation could be related to a number of external factors. It may be directly related to Pompeo’s statement. It is also a day after a U.S. Navy destroyer, USS Ralph Johnson, conducted a freedom of navigation operation in the area and a week after a major international naval exercise involving two aircraft carriers from the US Navy either way, may be meant to send a message, or even as a cover against military action. Of course it could be a coincidence.

The US Navy exercise involves both the USS Nimitz (CVN-68) and the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). Carriers were joined by a full complement of escort ships and ships of the Japanese Navy. The two aircraft carriers are larger and more operationally ready than China’s aircraft carriers. But the Chinese Navy is gaining ships and experience at an incredible rate. The aircraft carrier battle group USS Ronald Reagan returned to the South China Sea on Friday.

The combat capabilities of four Flankers, in isolation, is modest compared to a US Navy aircraft carrier strike group, but their deployment does send a message, regardless of the reason.