Armed Forces News

U.S. military ships and aircraft challenged 22 countries’ claims of international waters and airspace in 2016, according to the Defense Department. The list included potential adversaries, such as China, Venezuela and Iran, Seapower Magazine reported March 6. Some incidents, however, involved friendly nations such as Italy, Japan, and South Korea. The challenges typically involved issues such as prior notification before entering the disputed waters or airspaces. In some cases, particularly with China, the U.S. does not recognize sovereignty claims.