| The purpose of most exercises like this one with this particular equipment is to trigger a response from the target country when you violate or nearly violate their territory and then record what they do. What bells and alarms go off, what communications are sent and from where to where. Who scrambles and are SAM's activated. Where are the radar sites that are usually silent that start tracking you. Its a dangerous but necessary game if you want to "know your enemy". Its the ELINT equivalent of an infantry probe on an enemy position. Happens all the time, just usually without the collision.
Sandy I would say it was an accident as I really don't think the Chinese pilot wanted to die and the Chinese surely did not want to lose their plane ($$$) nor the Americans. US planes intercept any plane approaching US airspace FAR before the US territorial waters. If I remember right the US engages at 150 miles, where the territorial waters are 2 or 2 1/2 miles. Nothing wrong with this, in fact given the range of current air to air or air to ground ordinance any nation would be a fool to not engage in this practice.
__________________ "The purpose of fighting is to win. There is no possible victory in defense. The sword is more important than the shield and skill is more important than either. The final weapon is the brain. All else is supplemental." - John Steinbeck |