Pacific Air Forces confirm that contrary to previous statement, no US aircraft flew over Taipei

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/10/24
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The United States Air Force has retracted confirmation that one of its RC-135W electronic surveillance aircraft flew over Taipei earlier this week, reports said Saturday (Oct. 24).

Originally, Twitter flight tracking accounts Golf9 and Tokyo Radar reported Wednesday (Oct. 21) the plane, also known as a Rivet Joint, had flown at an altitude of 31,500 feet above central Taipei. Most USAF flights stay away from Taiwanese airspace, and in this case the island’s military immediately denied such a flight had taken place.

A USAF spokesman surprised observers by confirming the flight did occur “as part of an operational intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance mission,” the news web site The War Zone reported. However, on Friday (Oct. 23), the Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) contacted the news site to retract the previous confirmation.

“We did not have any U.S. aircraft in that area on the date and time in question,” The War Zone quoted Lieutenant Colonel Tony Wickman, PACAF director of public affairs, as saying.
[FULL  STORY]