China protests US spy flights

An American spy plane (file photo)

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/191094.html

China has called on the United States to stop flying its spy planes near the Chinese coast, saying the move has severely damaged the trust between Beijing and Washington.

"We demand that the US respect China's sovereignty and security interests and take concrete measures to boost a healthy and stable development of military relations," the Chinese Ministry of National Defense said in a statement, AFP reported.

The comments came after reports said two Chinese fighter jets attempted to scare off an American spy plane over the Taiwan Strait in late June.

The report said the American plane was collecting intelligence on China.

Relations between China and the US have become strained over a number of issues.

China has already reduced its military cooperation with the Pentagon over the USD 6.4-billion US arms sales to Taiwan, which China considers as part of its territory.

Beijing has in response imposed unspecified sanctions on US firms selling weapons to Taiwan.

Meanwhile, China is reportedly developing game-changing stealth aircrafts and advanced naval missiles that can pave the way for ending the US dominance at sea.

A powerful military could also revolutionize China's role in the Pacific balance of power and would make it risky for the US to intervene in any potential dispute over Taiwan or North Korea.

Experts say it could also deny US ships' safe access to international waters near China's 18,000-kilometer-long coastline.

Iran develops tech. to spot stealth jets

Top Iranian military commander Brigadier General Farzad Esmaili

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/184440.html

A top Iranian commander says the country's military has developed the technology to spot and intercept radar-evading aircraft.

“The (Iranian) Khatam al-Anbiya Air Defense Base is capable of detecting, identifying, intercepting and countering different types of radar-evading planes and enemy's cruise missiles... in the country's skies,” said Brigadier General Farzad Esmaili.

“In order to spot, identify, intercept and deal with enemy spy planes, we will tap into the country's full potential,” he added.

The top Iranian commander further underlined that the Islamic Republic remains vigilant against Israeli and US military threats.

“The more the threats, the more vigilant we will be, and the more the sanctions, the more our progress,” he noted.

Esmaili pointed out that the morale of the Iranian nation, particularly the Armed Forces, is “at the highest level possible.”

“By God's grace and thanks to the perseverance of local experts, at the moment we have developed modern radar and missile systems, and there are no problems in this regard,” he went on to say.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran bears no animosity toward any country, but we will firmly counter any aggression should we witness any hostile act by other countries,” the senior commander stressed.

Commander of the Aerospace Division of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Amir Ali Hajizadeh announced earlier that a lot of super-modern enemy spies had been shot down.

In some cases, said Hajizadeh, aircraft similar to the downed planes were built through reverse engineering.

He had also announced the downing of two US spy planes over the Persian Gulf.