On June 7th, the Netherlands’ Ministry of Defense released a statement that said two Chinese fighter jets intercepted the HNLMS Tromp, a De Zeven Provinciën-class frigate. The two fighter jets were likely two JH-7A fighter bombers.
The two jets and a Z-19 also approached the Tromp’s NH-90 maritime attack helicopter during its patrol.
The ministry characterized the incident as a “potentially unsafe situation” and said that it occurred in international airspace.
The Tromp is conducting patrols in the East China Sea to enforce U.N. sanctions against North Korea. The vessel is currently sailing to Japan and will continue its journey as part of Pacific Archer 2024.
