China-Australia Chinese fighter jet 'chaffs' Australian plane near South China Sea
Canberra: A Chinese fighter jet's aggressive maneuvers endangered the crew of an Australian reconnaissance plane as it patrolled in the vicinity of the South China Sea, Australia's Defense Ministry claimed on Sunday.
According to a CNN report, the Chinese J-16 drew alongside the Australian P-8 while it was on a routine surveillance mission in international airspace last month before releasing flares and chaff that entered at least one of the Australian aircraft's engines, Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles said.
Military planes usually release chaff, which are typically tiny strips of aluminum or zinc -- as a deliberate countermeasure to confuse missiles, but can also use it to sabotage pursuing aircraft.
When ingested, chaff can damage a jet engine's blades and in extreme instances can even shut it down, said Peter Layton, a former Australian Air Force officer who is now a fellow at the Griffith Asia Institute.
(With UNI inputs)
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