On October 19, 1998, an unusual event unfolded in the skies above Changzhou, China. What started as a typical evening at a military flight training base in Hebei province quickly turned into a prolonged encounter that would capture the attention of both military officials and civilians.
Changzhou, situated about 150 kilometers northwest of Shanghai, is home to several military installations, including the flight training base where the incident began. This base plays a crucial role in preparing pilots for the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), equipped with advanced radar systems and various aircraft to maintain China’s air defense readiness.
At approximately 8:00 PM local time, four separate military radar stations in Hebei province simultaneously detected an anomalous object in the airspace directly above the Changzhou flight training base. The unidentified blip on the radar screens immediately caught the attention of the operators, who were trained to recognize and categorize various types of aircraft signatures. The object’s radar return didn’t match any known aircraft patterns. Its size, speed, and altitude fluctuations puzzled the experienced radar technicians, who quickly relayed the information to the base commander, Colonel Li.
As word spread about the radar anomaly, personnel at the base turned their attention to the sky. Soon, civilians in the surrounding area also noticed the unusual object. In total, at least 140 people on the ground reported seeing something extraordinary that night. Initial reports described the object as a small, star-like point of light. However, as it apparently descended to a lower altitude, witnesses were able to discern more details. They described an object with a distinct mushroom-shaped dome on its upper section. The lower part of the craft featured a flat bottom covered with an array of bright, multicolored lights that rotated continuously. The rotating lights created a mesmerizing display against the night sky, drawing even more attention from ground observers. The object’s shape and lighting configuration didn’t match any known aircraft, military or civilian, further adding to the intrigue of the situation.
Colonel Li, faced with an unprecedented situation, followed standard operating procedures for airspace incursions. He first contacted regional air traffic control to verify that no civilian or military flights were scheduled in the area. After receiving confirmation that the airspace should be clear, Colonel Li made the decision to scramble an interceptor aircraft.
The aircraft chosen for the intercept mission was a Jianjiao 6 (JJ-6) fighter jet. The JJ-6, a Chinese-built version of the Soviet MiG-19, was a formidable aircraft for its time. Though it first entered service in the 1950s, upgraded versions of the JJ-6 remained an important part of China’s air defense network throughout the 1990s. The JJ-6 boasted impressive specifications, including a maximum speed of Mach 1.4 (about 1,490 km/h), a service ceiling of 17,900 meters (58,700 ft), and a rate of climb of 177 m/s (34,800 ft/min). Its armament consisted of three 30 mm NR-30 cannons, with provisions for various missiles and bombs. These capabilities made the JJ-6 well-suited for intercept missions, allowing it to quickly reach high altitudes where unidentified objects were often reported.
The Jianjiao 6 took off from the Changzhou base with a crew of two: a pilot and a radar officer. Both were experienced airmen with hundreds of hours of flight time. As they ascended into the night sky, ground control provided continuous updates on the unidentified object’s position. As the fighter jet approached the reported location of the UFO, both crew members got their first visual confirmation of the object. They would later report that it bore an uncanny resemblance to depictions of flying saucers they had seen in various media, a detail that added an element of surrealism to the already tense situation.
When the Jianjiao 6 closed to within 4,000 meters of the object over Qing county, the situation took a dramatic turn. The unidentified craft suddenly shot upward at an incredible speed, easily outpacing the pursuing fighter. What followed was an extended aerial chase that pushed the Chinese jet to its operational limits. For nearly an hour, the JJ-6 attempted to close in on the UFO. Time and again, the object demonstrated flight capabilities far beyond those of the interceptor. It executed maneuvers that seemed to defy the laws of aerodynamics, making sudden changes in direction and altitude that would have subjected any conventional aircraft to extreme G-forces.
The pilot of the Jianjiao 6 reported that the object appeared to be toying with them. It would allow the fighter to approach, only to suddenly appear behind or above them. This display of aerial agility was unlike anything the experienced pilot had encountered in his career. Growing frustrated with the object’s evasive maneuvers, the pilot requested permission to engage with the plane’s 30 mm cannons. Ground control denied this request, instead instructing the crew to continue their pursuit and observation. This decision highlights the Chinese military’s approach to the incident – treating it as an opportunity for gathering intelligence rather than an immediate threat to be neutralized.
As the chase continued, the Jianjiao 6 found itself climbing to extreme altitudes. At 12,000 meters – nearly 40,000 feet – the jet began to run low on fuel. Despite the pilot’s reluctance to break off the pursuit, the limitations of the aircraft forced them to return to base. In a final display of its superior capabilities, the unidentified craft vanished from both visual and radar observation before two additional fighter planes could arrive on the scene.
Throughout the incident, ground-based radar stations continued to track both the Jianjiao 6 and the unidentified object. The radar data corroborated the pilot’s account of the UFO’s extreme maneuverability and speed. Radar operators noted that the object frequently changed altitude, sometimes climbing or descending thousands of meters in a matter of seconds. Its horizontal speed also varied dramatically, from seemingly stationary moments to bursts of velocity that outpaced the tracking capabilities of the radar systems. This radar data would later become an important part of the official investigation, providing quantifiable evidence to support the visual observations of both ground witnesses and the fighter pilots.
Following the incident, the Chinese military initiated a thorough investigation. They gathered statements from the Jianjiao 6 crew, radar operators, and ground witnesses. Technical experts analyzed the radar data, looking for any possible explanations for the object’s unusual flight characteristics. The incident quickly gained attention within military and government circles. Unlike many similar occurrences around the world, Chinese officials took a surprisingly open approach to the event.
In a move that garnered international attention, the Hebei Daily, a government-controlled newspaper, published a detailed report of the incident. This level of transparency was unusual for China, especially regarding matters of military encounters. The newspaper report included accounts from the pilots, descriptions from ground witnesses, and information about the radar tracking of the object. It presented the facts of the case without speculation, allowing readers to draw their own conclusions about the nature of the unidentified craft. An editor from the Hebei Daily confirmed that investigations into the event were ongoing, with various local government departments involved in gathering and analyzing data from the incident.
Aviation experts who reviewed the case were particularly intrigued by the reported flight characteristics of the unidentified object. Its ability to make instant accelerations, abrupt stops, and sharp turns at high speeds suggested a method of propulsion and control far beyond conventional aircraft technology. The object’s reported ability to operate effectively at a wide range of altitudes – from relatively low levels to heights exceeding the service ceiling of the Jianjiao 6 – also puzzled analysts. Such versatility is not typically seen in terrestrial aircraft, which are generally optimized for performance within specific altitude ranges. Some experts speculated about the possibility of advanced electromagnetic propulsion systems or other exotic technologies that could potentially explain the object’s capabilities. However, these ideas remained firmly in the realm of speculation, as no concrete evidence for such technologies was found.
The Changzhou incident was not an isolated event in Chinese airspace. Throughout the 1990s, there were numerous reports of unusual aerial phenomena observed by both military personnel and civilians across China. These incidents contributed to a growing interest in unidentified flying objects within China. Several universities established research groups dedicated to studying such phenomena, approaching the subject from scientific and sociological perspectives. The Chinese government’s relatively open approach to the Changzhou incident also sparked discussions about government transparency regarding UFO encounters. It stood in contrast to the policies of many other nations, which often classified such incidents or denied their occurrence altogether.
The 1998 Changzhou incident remains a topic of interest for those studying unusual aerial phenomena. Its combination of multiple radar tracks, numerous eye-witnesses, and extended observation by trained military personnel make it a compelling case that continues to defy conventional explanation. The event served as a catalyst for further research and discussion about unidentified flying objects within China. It highlighted the need for established protocols in dealing with such incidents and spurred interest in developing new technologies for tracking and identifying unknown aircraft. For the wider UFO research community, the Changzhou incident stands as a well-documented case involving credible witnesses and multiple forms of evidence. The willingness of Chinese authorities to publicly disclose details of the event provided researchers with valuable data that might otherwise have remained classified.
