Philippine and U.S. Warplanes Stage High-Stakes Patrol Over Tense, Disputed South China Sea Waters

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — In a bold display of military might, U.S. and Philippine bomber and fighter aircraft soared over a fiercely contested reef in the South China Sea, conducting joint patrol and air interception drills in the very skies where Chinese fighter jets had dramatically fired flares last year to chase off a Philippine aircraft, according to Philippine officials.

In a show of alliance and defiance, the joint patrol and interception drills over the hotly disputed Scarborough Shoal—nestled northwest of the Philippines—marked the first daring operation by the two treaty allies since U.S. President Donald Trump’s return to power.

Scarborough Shoal, claimed by both the Philippines and China, lies within the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) but has been under de facto Chinese control since 2012.

In a striking display of aerial power, two U.S. Air Force B-1 bombers thundered through the skies alongside three Philippine Air Force FA-50 fighter jets during a high-stakes patrol and interception drill aimed at neutralizing hostile threats, Philippine Air Force spokesperson Maria Consuelo Castillo revealed at a press briefing.

The operation marked a historic milestone, as it was the first time B-1 bombers had ever been deployed in joint exercises over the volatile waters of the South China Sea, according to the Philippine military.

“These exercises focused on enhancing operational coordination, improving air domain awareness, and strengthening agile combat employment capabilities between the two air forces,” the Philippine Air Force stated.

The one-day exercise, conducted on Tuesday, reflects the strong defense ties between the two nations, both of which are bound by a long-standing mutual defense treaty, officials said.

It remains unclear whether the joint patrol encountered any interference from Chinese military aircraft operating around Scarborough Shoal.

However, Beijing criticized the operation, claiming it threatened regional peace and stability.

“The Philippines has been colluding with countries outside the region to organize so-called ‘joint patrols’ aimed at deliberately undermining peace and stability in the South China Sea,” a spokesperson for China’s military said.

Beijing also confirmed that it conducted its own routine patrol over Scarborough Shoal’s airspace on Tuesday.

“China’s Air Force units will remain on high alert to resolutely defend the country’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests,” the spokesperson added.

Under the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, the Philippines and the United States are obligated to assist each other in the event of external attacks.

During Joe Biden’s administration, Washington clarified that this commitment includes armed attacks in the South China Sea.

China claims nearly the entire South China Sea, overlapping with the territorial claims of the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Taiwan.

In recent months, Manila and Beijing have been engaged in a series of maritime confrontations.

In August last year, two Chinese military aircraft flew dangerously close and fired flares in the path of a Philippine Air Force aircraft conducting a routine patrol over Scarborough Shoal, according to Philippine military officials.

The incident was strongly condemned and protested by the Philippine government. All crew members aboard the Philippine Air Force NC-212i turboprop transport plane were unharmed, the military confirmed.

At the time, the Southern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army claimed that the Philippine aircraft had “illegally intruded” into Chinese-controlled airspace over the shoal, disrupting Chinese military training activities.

China warned the Philippines to “cease its infringement, provocation, distortion, and hype.”

— DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA