The eleventh Joint Strategic Patrol introduced by Russia and China noticed Tu-95s, Tu-142s and H-6s escorted by Su-30SMs, Su-35s and J-16s in a six hour flight over the Sea of Japan and East China Sea.
China and Russia performed their eleventh Joint Strategic Patrol within the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea (ECS) on Jun. 27, 2026, consisting of an enormous formation of a minimum of 15 plane. Because the footage launched by the Russian Ministry of Protection (MoD) confirmed, the plane have been additionally intercepted and escorted by U.S. Air Power F-35A Lightning IIs and Japan Air Self-Protection Power (JASDF) F-15J Eagles.
The official video launched by the Chinese language army confirmed among the many plane concerned the YY-20A/YU-20A refueling plane; a KJ-500 Airborne Early Warning and Management (AEW&C) plane; a Y-9Z and a Y-9G Alerts Intelligence (SIGINT) plane; three J-11 and two J-10C fighters. The J-11s, J-10Cs, the KJ-500 and the Y-9 nevertheless weren’t seen within the in-flight footage launched by both nation or the tracks and pictures launched by the Japanese MoD, however they have been solely seen taxing, taking off and touchdown.
pic.twitter.com/T7CDzhq5z9
— China Navy Bugle (@ChinaMilBugle) June 27, 2026
Nonetheless, the Chinese language in-flight video did present the Y-20A concurrently refueling two J-16s. Plane seen within the in-flight footage from Russian and Chinese language plane and the Japanese photographs, beside the J-16s and the Y-20, additionally included H-6K and Tu-95MS strategic bombers; an Il-78M refueling tanker; Tu-142 maritime patrol plane; Su-30SMs; and a Su-35.
Chinese language and Russian air forces performed their eleventh joint strategic aerial patrol on Saturday over the Sea of Japan, the East China Sea and the western Pacific, China’s Ministry of Nationwide Protection stated in a web-based launch. #China #Russia pic.twitter.com/QvN6H5j2hN
— China Day by day (@ChinaDaily) June 27, 2026
Japanese and South Korean army statements
The Japanese MoD put the entire of the plane within the formation at 15, counting 4 H-6s, six J-16s, two Tu-95s, two Tu-142s and one Su-30. The assertion defined how the assorted Chinese language and Russian plane joined the formation on Jun. 27:
“On June 27 (Saturday), from morning to afternoon, we confirmed that two Chinese language bombers (H-6) that had superior from the East China Sea to the Sea of Japan joined up with two Russian bombers (Tu-95) and two Russian patrol plane (Tu-142) within the Sea of Japan, after which they performed joint flight operations so far as the East China Sea. We confirmed that in this joint flight of the bombers, two Chinese language fighter plane (J-16) and one Russian fighter plane (Su-30) have been additionally flying.”
６月２７日（土）午前から午後にかけて、東シナ海から日本海に進出した中国の爆撃機（Ｈ－６）×２機が、日本海においてロシアの爆撃機（Ｔｕ－９５）×２機及びロシアの哨戒機（Ｔｕ－１４２）×２機と合流した後、東シナ海ま… pic.twitter.com/tgDIkApgHg
— 防衛省統合幕僚監部 (@jointstaffpa) June 27, 2026
“Moreover, on the identical day within the afternoon, two Chinese language bombers (H-6) newly arriving from the course of the continent joined up with two Russian bombers (Tu-95), and we confirmed that they performed joint flight operations over an extended distance from the East China Sea to the Pacific off the coast of Shikoku. We confirmed that in this joint flight of the bombers, two Russian patrol plane (Tu-142) and 4 Chinese language fighter plane (J-16) have been additionally flying.
In response to those, we scrambled fighter plane from the Western Air Protection Power of the Air Self-Protection Power and different models to intercept.”
6月27日、中国空軍🇨🇳及びロシア空軍🇷🇺は第11次連合空軍戦略巡航を日本海,東シナ海,西太平洋上空で実施した。中国側からはH-6K爆撃機の他、YY-20A空中給油機、KJ-500早期警戒管制機、Y-9G電子戦機、J-10,J-11,J-16戦闘機等が確認される。 pic.twitter.com/I3fmngStdm
— miki＠横鎮/C108二日目東ノ-40b (@09120309) June 27, 2026
The monitor launched by the MoD confirmed the Chinese language and Russian plane becoming a member of up within the waters between Japan and South Korea, continuing southwards to Japan’s southern Okinawa Prefecture, and turning east into the western Pacific. The formation then turned north, staying west of the Miyazaki prefecture, earlier than retracing its steps, with the bombers heading again to their respective bases in Russia and China.
The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Employees (JCS) equally stated that they had detected the Russo-Chinese language formation “earlier than [it] briefly entered and left” Seoul’s Air-Protection Identification Zone (ADIZ) “above the nation’s japanese and southern waters,” based on The Korea Occasions. The JCS put the determine at 10 plane and added that it “dispatched Air Power fighter jets to organize for any attainable contingencies.”
Chinese language and Russian MoD releases
One Chinese language army aviation tracker account stated two of the PLA Air Power H-6s have been an H-6KG (tail 10193) from the Southern Theater Command (STC), and an H-6J (20815) from the Jap Theater Command (ETC). The Russian Ministry of Protection recognized its personal plane as Su-30SM, Su-35S, Tu-95MS, and the Chinese language as H-6K and J-16, including that the Sukhois and the J-16s “offered fighter cowl alongside the route” and the patrol’s length was six hours.
— Massimo Frantarelli (@MrFrantarelli) June 27, 2026
The Russian MoD’s footage confirmed a Su-30SM taking off with two R-73 short-range AAMs, in addition to cockpit footage from the rear seat displaying each the Su-30SMs. A video taken from the cockpit of the Tu-142 and/or Tu-95 confirmed every of the Tupolevs, in addition to a Su-35 on its starboard (left) aspect, the aerial refueling and a H-6 bomber.
The video additionally confirmed two U.S. Air Power F-35As, though their scramble was not talked about within the statements from Japan and South Korea. The plane had the ‘HL’ tail flash of Hill AFB, which could determine them as a few of the F-35s that have been not too long ago transferred to Misawa’s 35 Fighter Wing in Japan. Moreover, the video additionally exhibits the 2 Japan Air Self-Protection Power (JASDF) F-15Js.
The Russian MoD talked about the Sea of Japan, East China Sea (ECS) and the western Pacific as the realm of operation, including that “the strategic bombers have been escorted by fighter jets from overseas nations […] at sure factors alongside the route.” It moreover famous that the “occasion was held as a part of the army cooperation plan for 2026,” reflecting their continued cooperation with China.
Russia and China have been holding Joint Strategic Patrols since 2019 and the drills happen no more than twice annually. Russian army aviation analyst Man Plopsky recorded solely 2022, 2023 and 2024 seeing two such occasions.
The most recent patrol, the eleventh, comes amid the continuing train Valiant Protect within the western Pacific with the U.S., Japan and Australia and the Philippines, which China has warned would possibly result in unintended escalations. The Chinese language Ministry of Nationwide Protection (MND) stated the patrol “demonstrated their dedication and talent to collectively safeguard regional peace and stability.”
Whereas Russian plane teasing NATO and NORAD airspace is a standard prevalence, it have to be famous that the RuAF and PLAAF additionally independently ship provocative overflights round Japan.
