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Any theories on the protracted flightpath? Was the proximity to bases in Okinawa a factor?
by tjpnz 4y ago
Any theories on the protracted flightpath? Was the proximity to bases in Okinawa a factor?
- phantomathkg 4y agoHypothesis would be to avoid South China Sea, instead choose a detour to get covered by all US arm presence in the the Pacific and Okinawa.
- NovemberWhiskey 4y agohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Territorial_disputes_in_the_South_China_Sea#/media/File:South_China_Sea_claims_map.svg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Territorial_disputes_in_the_So... This is more likely to be about not overflying China/PRC's disputed territorial claims in the South China Sea - the flight certainly has to overfly part of that claim (because it in includes Taiwan/ROC), but it doesn't have to fly over all of it ... seems like some kind of carefully calibrated diplomatic message / inside baseball.