China said on Saturday that it flew a fleet of bombers, fighters, and other aircraft over contested areas in the South China Sea in a show of force over a region that has flared tensions internationally. The aircraft, including H-6K bombers and Su-30 fighters, patrolled the airspace over the Spratly Islands and the Scarborough Shoal, where Chinese claims over the land clash with claims by the Philippines, according to the Wall Street Journal. The flight came as former Philippine President Fidel Ramos prepares to visit Beijing to discuss the dispute, the Journal reported. China flew patrols over the sea last month in defiance of the Hague’s July 12 ruling that China does not have claims to sovereignty over much of the sea.
U.S. Space Command is still passionate about the idea of being able to maneuver satellites in orbits without worrying about conserving fuel. But how exactly to achieve that remains unsettled as the combatant command works with the Pentagon’s acquisition enterprise, SPACECOM’s deputy commander said.