I can’t buy “incompetence” in either pilot. I can easily buy “intent,” as China has been ramming it down the world’s throat, making headlines (everywhere but in the US) with their increasingly bold / increasingly numerous incursions into Taiwanese ADIZs. The fighter pilot is trying to bulldoze the transport aircraft, and as neither aircraft is maneuvering (changing attitude) until the RC135 descends, it’s obvious the J11 will collide if somebody doesn’t do *something."