The US military has said that a Chinese fighter jet had conducted an “unnecessarily aggressive maneuver” during an intercept of a US spy plane in international airspace over the South China Sea last week. The Chinese J-16 fighter cut directly in front of the nose of the US RC-135 Rivet Joint reconnaissance aircraft on May 26, forcing the US plane to fly through the wake turbulence of the intercepting aircraft. In video of the incident released by the US military, the turbulence is evident as it disturbs the US aircraft along its flight path. The RC-135 was conducting “safe and routine operations” in international airspace, US Indo-Pacific Command said. . It is the latest incident of what Pentagon officials warn could lead to a major escalation. A video captured from the RC-135's cockpit shows the Chinese fighter jet streak across the sky just ahead of the aircraft before it hits the turbulence. The cockpit then shakes around, and the jet disappears toward the horizon.

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