US Navy plane spots Chinese vessels following PH ships in WPS

A United States Navy aircraft spotted Chinese vessels following Philippine ships during its surveillance flight in the West Philippine Sea on Monday.

In Chino Gaston's Monday report on “24 Oras," the US Navy engaged in a surveillance flight to support freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.

On board the P-8 Poseidon aircraft, the US Navy flew over Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal with members of the media onboard.

The Poseidon is an unarmed military aircraft whose sole mission is to gather information from the sea, land and air.

The same type of aircraft was present over Filipino resupply missions in the Ayungin Shoal and China’s water cannon attacks on the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessels.

During the surveillance flight, Chinese Coast Guard vessels and a warship were observed shadowing BFAR and PCG vessels during their resupply mission to provide fuel and supplies to Filipino fishermen in Bajo de Masinloc.

Due to the classified nature of its equipment, the media was barred from taking videos and photos in certain parts of the Poseidon aircraft which has been an almost constant presence over the disputed waters.

“Whether it's our ships or our aircraft, it's nearly daily. Wherever international airspaces or international waters, we intend to fly consistently through those areas to help support a free Indo-Pacific,” said Commander Zachary Sipes, executive officer of Patrol Squadron 47.

The Chinese Air Force also repeatedly radio challenged P-8, but the USN crew said they were used to it.

The aircraft also monitored a radio transmission of the Chinese Air Force challenging a BFAR aircraft.

“There's never any apprehensiveness that is applied to us. We go out there and execute our mission effectively and we do our best to maintain the freedom and the security of the international waterways and the airspace,” said Lieutenant Alexander Walker, P-8A pilot and officer-in-charge.

One member of the Poseidon’s crew is Lieutenant Ken Carandang, whose Filipino father hails from Olongapo City.  

“There are a couple of Chinese military ships out there, Chinese Coast Guard ships out there. And then, obviously, you see some of the Filipino ships out there as well. We're right off the coast of Scarborough Shoal,” said Carandang, who is a naval flight officer and tactical coordinator.

Aside from possessing radar and cameras, the P-8 can also drop sonar buoys to detect submarines in open waters. —Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA Integrated News