A Chinese unmanned WL-10 reconnaissance aircraft was confirmed flying over the East China Sea for the first time on Monday.
18:44 JST, May 28, 2024
The Defense Ministry announced on Monday that the Air Self-Defense Force had deployed its fighter jets that morning after a Chinese military reconnaissance and attack unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flew into Japan’s air defense identification zone over the East China Sea.
The UAV was a Chinese WL-10 drone and did not intrude into Japanese territorial airspace, according to the ministry. The ministry is aware of four types of Chinese UAVs making flights, but this is the first time a WL-10 has been confirmed.
“China’s military operations are becoming more active and this is believed to be part of that trend,” a ministry official said.
