Summary

  • Taiwan scrambles fighter jets to respond to China’s military exercises.
  • China conducts mock strikes and tests capabilities in response to Taiwan’s new president.
  • Taiwan’s air force uses older Western aircraft but is preparing new generations to continue defense efforts.

Taiwan (officially the Republic of China) launched Mirage 2000 and F-16 fighter jets as the People’s Republic of China (aka China) held massive military exercises around the island. Taiwan scrambled its aircraft to patrol the skies in response to the exercises. Taiwan’s Air Force capabilities are considerable. However, they pale compared to their much larger Chinese counterparts. It should be noted that these exercises were still much smaller than those of 2022, which were held in response to then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visiting the island.

Taiwan scrambles its fighter jets

In response to the Chinese exercises, Taiwan has scrambled its air force to defend its airspace. Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense published pictures of armed F-16s patrolling the skies and pictures of Chinese vessels. It is not clear when these photos were taken. It also appears Taiwan’s Mirage 2000-5 aircraft patrolled in response to the exercises.

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According to reporting by Reuters, Taiwan stated that 49 Chinese military aircraft (along with many naval vessels) were detected on Friday. Taiwan stated that its air defenses and land-based missile forces tracked the targets and expressed confidence that its armed forces could defend the island. Taiwan stated that the Chinese aircraft came within 40 nautical miles of Keelung, a northern city and important naval base.

It should be noted that China did not announce any no-fly zones, and Taiwan had not observed any large-scale movements of China’s ground and rocket forces. This episode seems to have been another expression of China’s anger, but it doesn’t look to have been intended to escalate the situation. The BBC has previously reported that China has said Taiwan must eventually be reunited with the mainland, including by force if necessary.

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Air Force of Taiwan

Taiwan operates a comparatively small air force with comparatively older Western aircraft (the tense and delicate relationship with China makes it difficult for them to purchase modern aircraft).

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The important American defense contractor, Lockheed Martin, states, “For the past 30 years, the Republic of China Air Force (ROCAF) has defended its skies with Lockheed Martin products starting with F-104 Starfighters and continuing today with the F-16A/B MLU Block 20 Fighting Falcon.” It also states it was the first defense contractor to establish cooperation with Taiwan to provide new technologies, know-how, and capabilities to its local industry.

Taiwan has operated F-16s since 1997, and the fleet is transitioning to the F-16V model. These have improvements to structure, avionics, and surveillance capability, enhanced stealth performance, long-range reconnaissance, and Beyond Visual Range operation ability. In February 2024, the Air and Space Forces Magazine reported that the first phase of the F-16V program was complete.

The IDF fighter (or F-CK-1 Ching-kuo) is the first high-performance jet fighter developed by Taiwan, and its deliveries started in 1994. The Taiwan Air Force calls the French Dassault Mirage 2000-5 a “state-of-the-art well-equipped multi-role jet fighter. Taiwan procured 60 Dassault Mirage 2000-5 fighters in 1992 and became the first country to deploy them. Taiwan also operates the older F-5E light fighters.

Group of F-16s flying

Photo: Mike Mareen l Shutterstock

It is estimated that Taiwan has around 140 F-16s, 54 Dassault Mirage 2000s, 129 AICD F-CK-1s, and 62 Northrop F-5s in service. That’s a total of around 385 fighter jets. In April 2024, Taiwan News reported that Taiwan was also developing its own next-generation fighter and that it is progressing ahead of schedule.

Frustrated by the lack of foreign deliveries, Taiwan has been forced to build many of its own systems. For example, the Taiwanese navy still operates World War Two-era American submarines. Being unable to find anyone willing to sell them new subs, Naval News recently reported Taiwan has developed and launched its first indigenous submarine.

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China demonstrates disapproval of new president

According to Reuters, citing Chinese state media, the massive military exercises around Taiwan were launched to punish Taiwan’s new president, Lai Chinge-te. Lai Chinge-te recently won the Taiwanese presidential elections, defeating two other candidates who were seen as more conciliatory to China. The exercises kicked off just three days after the new Taiwanese president took power, showing China’s dislike for him, whom they denounce as a “separatist.” His inauguration speech also angered the Chinese, where he stated the two sides of the strait are “not subordinate to each other.”

“This is designed to demonstrate China’s ability to control the seas and prevent the involvement of foreign forces, he said.” – Reuters

The two-day exercises have seen China conduct mock missile strikes and bombers carrying out live missile tests. The Chinese have sought to test their ability to “seize power” and control key areas of Taiwan (which it views as a rebel province).

Chinese Aircraft Carrier in port

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army stated the exercises were to “test the ability to jointly seize power, launch joint attacks and occupy key areas.” Reuters reported a senior Taiwan security official as saying the forces were practicing how to seize “total control” of the areas west of the first island chain (the first island chain includes the islands of Japan down to Borneo, running through the Philippines and Taiwan).

The Chinese theater command showed an animated video on the Chinese WeChat app of missiles launched at Taiwan with its key cities disappearing in balls of fire. The caption “Sacred weapons to kill independence” was added in red at the end of the animation.

Two J-20 fighter jets flying in the sky.

A public relations officer of the US Navy’s 7th Fleet stated that the Navy is paying close attention to the situation and takes its responsibility to deter aggression very seriously. Taiwan and the United States have a peculiar relationship. In the 1970s, the US switched its recognition of the legitimate government of China to Beijing. Since then, it has had no official diplomatic relationship with Taiwan. However, the US is legally bound to provide Taiwan with means to defend itself.

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