War and Conflict Journal

In March of 2009, several incidents took place between

the military forces of the United States and the military

forces of the People’s Republic of China at sea. Below is a

listing of these naval and air incidents. 

In June, 2009, an Chinese submarine collided with a sonar

array towed by a U.S. destroyer near the Philippines 

 

June 12, 2009–A Chinese submarine hit an

underwater sonar array being towed by the destroyer USS

John McCain on June 11, 2009. The sonar array received

damage, but the Chinese submarine and the American

destroyer did not collide. This incident occurred near

Subic Bay, Philippines. 

March 8, 2009–Five Chinese vessels harassed

and obstructed the USNS Impeccable in the South China

Sea, 70 mile from the coast of the Chineses island of

Hainan. The Chinese ships surrounded the Impeccable and

two of the ships closed to within 50 feet of the American

ship. The Chinese ships included a Chinese navy

intelligence collection ship, a Bureau of Maritime

Fisheries patrol vessel, a State Oceanographic

Administration patrol vessel and two small

Chinese-flagged trawlers. 

Crewmen aboard the Impeccable used fire hoses to spray

one of the harassiing Chinese ships as a protective

measure. The Chinese crewmembers stripped to their

underwear and continued manning their posts, closing to

within 25 feet of the Americans. 

The Chinese also dropped pieces of wood into the water

directly in the Impeccable’s path, and two of the

ships halted directly in the U.S. vessel’s path,

forcing it to stop. 

Chinese sailors used poles, attempting to snag the

Impeccable’s towed acoustic array sonars. Impeccable

used bridge-to-bridge radio contact to inform the Chinese

ships that it was leaving the area and requested a safe

path to navigate. 

China accused the U.S. Navy of conducting illegal

surveying off southern Hainan island. 

 

March 7, 2009–A Chinese naval vessel

challenged the USNS Impeccable via bridge-to-bridge

radio, accusing the Impeccable of conducting illegal

operations and told the American ship to leave the area

or “suffer the consequences.” 

March 5, 2009–Chinese maritime aircraft

“buzzed” the USNS Impeccable 12 times. This

came after an incident earlier in the day. 

March 5, 2009 –A Chinese frigate crossed the

bow of the USNS Impeccable at a range of about 100

yards 

March 4, 2009–A Chinese patrol vessel shined a

high-intensity spotlight on the USNS Victorious, while it

was operating in the Yellow Sea some 125 miles from the

Chinese coast. 

 

 

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Links:

 

 

Sub

collides with sonar array towed by U.S. Navy

ship–CNN, June 12, 2009

US

 

claims naval clash with China–FT.com, March 10,

2009 

Chinese

Vessels Shadow, Harass Unarmed U.S. Survey

Ship–American Forces Press Service, March 9,

2009 

 

 

Sources and