Taiwan Report: Taiwanese Pilot Fired An Infrared Decoy Projectile In An Encounter With A PLA Warplane

A Taiwanese F-16 fighter jet (left) flies alongside a PLA H-6K bomber that reportedly flew over the Bashi Channel, south of Taiwan, in a drill last year. Photo: AFP

SCMP: Taiwanese pilot ‘mistakenly fired decoy projectile’ in encounter with PLA warplane

* It’s not known when or where the incident happened, but source tells local newspaper the ‘defensive act did not lead to an exchange of fire’
* There was a similar incident when a US surveillance plane was being monitored near the island

A Taiwanese fighter jet pilot mistakenly fired a self-defence weapon during a recent encounter with a PLA warplane, according to a local newspaper.

It was not known when or where the incident took place, but an unidentified source familiar with the matter told China Times on Monday that the situation did not escalate further.

“The firing of an infrared decoy projectile is a defensive act, so it did not lead to an exchange of fire,” the source was quoted as saying.

Decoy projectiles are usually used during conflict to avoid being hit by an incoming missile.

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WNU Editor: The above article is short on details, but it appears that the Taiwanese pilot felt the need to fire an infrared decoy projectile to defend itself. If so, this must have been one tense encounter with the PLA.