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Liu Zhen

China sent armed trainer jets to drive away Philippine light aircraft over the disputed Scarborough Shoal on Wednesday, in a potentially more cost-effective tactic for its increasingly frequent air confrontations over the South China Sea.
At least three JL-10 trainers carrying PL-5 air-to-air missiles were involved in the incident over the shoal, according to a video clip posted to social media by the People’s Liberation Army Southern Theatre Command.
The footage showed the Chinese jet’s electronic systems locking onto three Philippine aircraft, identifying their models as a BN-2A Islander utility aircraft, a C-208 single-engine turboprop and a PA-31T twin-engine turboprop. A green crosshair was also shown tracking one of the aircraft.
“Philippine aircraft, you have intruded into the territorial airspace of China’s Huangyan Dao. Leave immediately, leave immediately. Otherwise, we will take measures,” a Chinese pilot was heard saying in both Chinese and English over the radio.
Scarborough Shoal – a coral atoll which is known as Huangyan Dao in China and Panatag Shoal in the Philippines – has been a major flashpoint between the two countries in recent years.
China has controlled the area since 2012 and released baselines for the territorial sea around it in 2024. The Philippines – which challenges the Chinese claim with occasional ship and aircraft activities in the area – filed its own territorial sea baselines for the shoal with the United Nations in July.
“Such patrols are aimed at further enhancing control of relevant sea areas and airspace and serve as an effective countermeasure to cope with all sorts of rights violations and provocative acts,” the PLA Southern Theatre Command said in a statement.

The PLA’s multirole heavyweight J-16 fighter jet and an H-6 strategic bomber were also seen in the video, but it was the first time JL-10 trainers armed with air-to-air missiles have been shown taking the lead role in such an operation.
It came after the Philippines sent the same three light aircraft to patrol over Scarborough Shoal on August 21.
The light aircraft fly at relatively low speeds, with the slowest capable of only about 260km/h (162mph) – well below the minimum controllable speed of modern high-speed fighter jets.
According to a commentary on state broadcaster CCTV, this creates an asymmetric challenge for Chinese fighters tasked with tracking, escorting and warning these targets whose flight characteristics are vastly different.
The JL-10, meanwhile, has good low-speed manoeuvrability. The twin-jet lead-in trainer has a minimum controllable speed of around 210-260km/h and can carry a range of missiles and guided bombs to launch an attack if needed.
It is also significantly cheaper to buy and operate than the J-16 fighters. The trainer is estimated to cost about US$10-15 million per aircraft on the international market, compared with nearly US$100 million estimated for a J-16.




The PL-5, a short-range infrared homing missile, first entered service in the 1980s. Although it is no longer among the most advanced air-to-air missiles in the PLA Air Force’s inventory, pairing the relatively inexpensive missile with the JL-10 provides a cost-effective option for dealing with slow-moving aircraft.
Wednesday’s operation was apparently also a PLA training exercise, with a trainee pilot heard in the video telling his instructor that it was good to see the South China Sea for himself.
Previously, the PLA had mainly deployed much more expensive combat aircraft for such missions. In October last year, the Philippine Coast Guard claimed a Chinese J-16 had engaged in “aggressive interference” with a Philippine reconnaissance aircraft carrying journalists.
Last month, the PLA Southern Theatre Command deployed H-6K bombers with advanced heavyweight supersonic YJ-12 anti-ship missiles for a joint exercise around Scarborough Shoal.


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China

Military

At least three JL-10s carrying PL-5 missiles were involved in incident at disputed atoll in what could be a more cost-effective tactic


At least three JL-10s carrying PL-5 missiles were involved in incident at disputed atoll in what could be a more cost-effective tactic.


China-Philippines relations

The Philippines

Chinese armed trainer jets drive away Philippine aircraft over Scarborough Shoal

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}At least three JL-10s carrying PL-5 missiles were involved in incident at disputed atoll in what could be a more cost-effective tactic

At least three JL-10s carrying PL-5 missiles were involved in incident at disputed atoll in what could be a more cost-effective tactic