Overview

• Royal Navy officials say Chinese fighter jets executed “constructive kills” against HMS Richmond earlier this month by flying missile-attack profiles without firing.
• HMS Richmond transited alongside the US destroyer USS Higgins as part of the UK carrier strike group led by HMS Prince of Wales under Operation Highmast.
• China’s Eastern Theater Command confirmed it dispatched naval and air units to track the ships and publicly labeled the transit trouble-making.
• A Z-10 aircraft tailed one of Richmond’s anti-submarine helicopters, with Royal Navy personnel describing the actions as information warfare rather than a prelude to live fire.
• Separate encounters in the Spratly Islands saw Chinese vessels try to close on HMS Prince of Wales, as the UK framed the voyage as a lawful freedom-of-navigation operation.