Military photos show a US Air Force B-52 bomber and Japanese fighter jets putting on a show of force in China's backyard
The flight through the East China Sea was flown in support of Indo-Pacific Command's Continuous Bomber Presence, Pacific Air Forces said in a statement Thursday.
The B-52 bomber trained alongside 12 JASDF F-15s and four F-2s over the East China Sea and the Sea of Japan before it returned to Andersen Air Force Base on Guam.
Wednesday's flight marks the third time in a week US B-52 bombers have flown over contested seas characterized by tension largely attributed to increased Chinese military activity.
B-52 bombers flew through the South China Sea once on Sunday and again on Tuesday, showing off America's capabilities over tense tides. Beijing warned the US against "provocative" military behavior in response.
Source: Business Insider and Reuters
Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis says that these flights are only an issue because China made these seas global hot spots. "If it was 20 years ago and had they not militarized those features there it would have been just another bomber on its way to Diego Garcia or wherever," he explained Wednesday.
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