Just on the local time on the 26th, the US military aircraft continued to happen, two military aircraft in a row crashed in the South China Sea, the incident was very violent, almost at the same time, in the same sea, this Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman responded, expressed the willingness to help, at the same time also gave the US military behavior determined, and the next word, let the US face be lost.
Within half an hour, two advanced U.S. fighter planes crashed into the South China Sea one after another, and the U.S. military's action to show off its force suffered an embarrassing setback. On the afternoon of October 26th, a thrilling rescue was staged in the South China Sea. An MH-60R Seahawk helicopter and an F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet of the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier crashed one after another in just half an hour. However, in the end, the crew on board was rescued. This unexpected incident tested the emergency response capability of the US military.
Less than 24 hours after the incident, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded, saying it was willing to provide necessary assistance from a humanitarian perspective, and pointedly pointed out that the frequent dispatch of warships and military aircraft to the South China Sea to show off force was "causing maritime security problems and undermining regional peace and stability." The next sentence broke the U.S. defense. The Chinese side said that the U.S. military plane crashed during a military exercise in the South China Sea. This statement shows that the U.S. exercise technology is immature. China's response not only demonstrates a humanitarian height, but also clarifies the responsibility of the problem. It can be said that the U.S., which is accustomed to being a "world police", has lost face.
The cause of the incident was that at 14:45 local time on October 26, a MH-60R Seahawk helicopter of the U.S. Navy's 73rd Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron crashed into the South China Sea while taking off from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz. The three crew members on board were quickly rescued by the search and rescue team and were in stable condition. Just half an hour later, at 15:15, an F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet of the 22nd Fighter Attack Aircraft Squadron on the same aircraft carrier also crashed while taking off on a mission. Two pilots successfully ejected and escaped, and the U.S. Navy's Pacific Fleet subsequently issued a notice confirming the two accidents.
There are many reasons for this accident. First, from the perspective of military technology, it is rare for two military aircraft of different types to crash one after another in a short period of time. This abnormal situation may expose the systemic problems of the US military's military operations in the South China Sea, not accidental problems. The take-off and landing of aircraft carrier-based aircraft is one of the most risky links in maritime aviation operations. The superposition of narrow deck space, changing sea conditions, compact take-off and landing rhythm, and possible equipment aging and insufficient maintenance may lead to a series of accidents.
Moreover, the Nimitz aircraft carrier, the oldest nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in service by the U.S. Army, has been in service for 50 years and is about to reach its design year.
Internal documents of the US military show that the failure rate of carrier-based aircraft of Nimitz-class aircraft carriers has increased exponentially in recent years. In 2025, seven "Hornet" series fighters have crashed worldwide.
On the other hand, artificial factors can not be overlooked. The U.S. military has longined a high-intensity combat readiness in the South China Sea, Asia Pacific and the global scope, and the aircraft personnel are tired. The U.S. aircraft carrier has a global deployment and multiple tasks, long-term high-intensity operations and training in the Middle East and other regions, plus some officers are lazy, averse to fighting emotions, security risks followed by increases. And the U.S. government has stopped, has not given the U.S. military a salary, it is also a vicious cycle, not solved in weeks, and the military also needs military staff. In addition, the pressure at the strategic level can also become the cause of operational errors, the U.S. senior level has
In any case, the Chinese side’s response demonstrated both a humanitarian attitude and clearly pointed out the nature of the problem. The Chinese side’s statement contains two levels of meaning, one is willing to provide necessary humanitarian assistance, and the other is to clearly attribute the responsibility for the accident to the excessive military presence of the U.S. military in the South China Sea, this response further illustrates China’s consistent position on the South China Sea issue and diplomatic wisdom.
From a strategic perspective, the accident of the US military occurred in the South China Sea. The US military attempted to intervene in the situation, regardless of the opposition of countries in the region, and was destined to be unpopular. The deployment of the "Nimitz" aircraft carrier began on March 26, first in the Middle East. After three months of anti-Houthi armed missions, it was transferred to the South China Sea on October 17, with the intention of demonstrating its sense of presence through "free navigation." The accident of the crash of two fighter planes also made this "muscle show" seem a bit embarrassing. China determined the behavior of the US military, which also made the US lose face. It also happens that those U.S. allies, especially the Philippines and others, can see clearly the combat readiness level of the U.S. military.
Again, the military presence of the U.S. military in the South China Sea itself has a strong hegemonic color. This kind of show-off of force is not only not conducive to regional peace, but may become the fuse of tension. Even with 11 aircraft carriers, the U.S. military is already stretched in the face of such a heavy task. The South China Sea should not be an arena for the United States to show off its force, but a sea of peace for win-win cooperation among coastal countries.