US patrol flights over South China Sea drop 30% as focus shifts to Middle East

US land-based reconnaissance aircraft sorties over the South China Sea decreased by around 30 per cent month on month in February, according to a Beijing-based think tank, as the US deploys assets to the Middle East. The South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative (SCSPI) said on Monday that only 72 US reconnaissance aircraft sorties were detected over the South China Sea in February. By contrast, 102 US reconnaissance aircraft sorties were observed over the waters in both January ...

By Alcott Wei