The Oct. 29 incident involved a Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone helicopter embarked on the Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Ottawa.
DND says the helicopter was conducting routine manoeuvres over international airspace when it was intercepted by two People’s Liberation Army (PLA) J-11 fighter jets. The initial encounters were safe but two subsequent ones were not, said the department.
One pass of the Cyclone was conducted with little separation and the pilot had to take action to respond to the turbulence. Later that day during a second sortie, the helicopter was again intercepted. This time a J-11 fighter launched flares directly in front of the helicopter. DND says the pilot had to manoeuvre to avoid the flares.
Maj. Millen had been flying over international waters near the Paracel Island chain when it was intercepted by the Chinese jets. The helicopter had been searching for a previously detected submarine in the area.
Chinese fighter jets have conducted multiple close-range documented interceptions of other aircrafts, but Maj. Millen said it is rare for them to target helicopters.
The Chinese jets were circling the helicopter, causing turbulence, and Maj. Millen ended the encounter by flying down to 200 feet, an altitude “very uncomfortable for fast air fighter jets.”
HMCS Ottawa is currently involved in manoeuvres in the South China Sea and is part of a two-ship deployment in the Indo-Pacific. HMCS Ottawa left Esquimalt base in August along with HMCS Vancouver, with the latter being deployed in Northeast Asia as part of Op NEON to help enforce UN sanctions against North Korea.
Military assets from Canada and other countries operating in the region have been routinely harassed by China’s navy and air force.
The U.S. says there have been more than 180 instances of Chinese aircraft taking such actions against its assets in the region since 2021.
The Chinese military has not only targeted aircrafts, but ships as well, as it seeks to deter the U.S. and its allies from operating freely in the area.