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The U.S. Air Force operates spy aircraft like the RC-135W Rivet Joint, which were deployed from Kadena Air Base in Okinawa to collect intelligence on America’s rivals, including China and Taiwan.
Beijing has accused the U.S. of conducting “close-in reconnaissance” of its territory, leading to aerial encounters with Chinese fighter jets intercepting American aircraft in what the Pentagon called an “unsafe and unprofessional” manner.
Using Flightradar24 data, Newsweek tracked two flights by a RC-135W aircraft from Kadena Air Base. The first flight, lasting six hours, flew off China’s eastern coastline over the East China Sea and Yellow Sea. The second flight, also six hours long, did not venture as far south but returned to base after flying past Shanghai.
According to an open-source intelligence analyst on X, this particular Rivet Joint aircraft was deployed from the U.S. mainland around mid-July to Okinawa.
The map shows a United States RC-135V/W Rivet Joint aircraft taking off at Kadena Air Base in Japan.
A United States RC-135V/W Rivet Joint aircraft takes off at Kadena Air Base in Japan on May 12, 2020. Staff Sgt. Benjamin Sutton/U.S. Air Force
All RC-135V/W Rivet Joint aircraft are permanently based at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska and operated by the 55th Wing.
The U.S. Air Force 55th Wing previously stated: “While we do not disclose operational status or comment on specific interactions with foreign military aircraft for operational security, the 55th Wing remains steadfast in executing its mission with precision, professionalism, and strict adherence to international standards.”
The Pentagon’s Chinese military power report 2024 noted that since late 2023, China has reduced coercive and risky air intercepts of U.S. platforms compared to previous years.
As China builds up its armed forces in the western Pacific, it remains uncertain whether the U.S. will enhance its surveillance efforts.
