Older Chinese 'Flying Shark' Jets Spark Major Alert Near Japan

An older Chinese fighter jet recently caused a major regional incident. The action centered on the Shenyang J-15, a carrier-based aircraft nicknamed "Flying Shark." The event happened near the Miyako Strait, northeast of Taiwan. Japanese authorities reported that J-15s launched from China's Liaoning aircraft carrier twice engaged Japanese fighter jets. This rare stand-off has brought the decade-old J-15 back into the spotlight. While China's air force is rapidly adding newer models, this incident shows its older carrier jets remain actively deployed. The J-15s' operations from the Liaoning demonstrate China's continuing development of naval air power.