Japan Scrambles Fighters in Response to Chinese TB-001 Drone; Reconnaissance/Attack Plane Flies Through Airspace Near Okinawa

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:39 JST, July 9, 2024

The Defense Ministry announced Monday that Air Self-Defense Force fighters were scrambled in response to a Chinese TB-001 unmanned reconnaissance and attack aircraft that entered Japan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) over the East China Sea.

From morning to afternoon on Monday, the TB-001 aircraft flew through the air over the sea between Okinawa Island and Miyako Island in Okinawa Prefecture toward the Pacific Ocean, then made a U-turn and flew back along the same route.

This is the sixth time since the start of this year that the ministry has announced movements made by Chinese unmanned military aircraft.