US Air Force conducts climate testing with the T-7A Red Hawk
The trainer aircraft recently completed the second round of extreme weather trials after enduring icy, windy and sunny conditions.
A US Air Force C-17 cargo plane in Taipei. (Photo: Senator Sullivan/Wikimedia Commons)
Taiwan will widen the runways at seven of its air force bases to counter the threat of Chinese ballistic missile attacks, the country’s Ministry of National Defense has confirmed.
The move would reduce runway repair time following a missile strike from four hours to two-and-half hours for one or two large craters, according to a report in Taiwan News.
Upon completion, Taiwanese fighter jets would be able to rapidly respond to Chinese attacks via counterattacks, with Taiwan’s military runways increasing in width from between 45-50 metres to 60 metres.
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Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense conducted assessments and consulted with counterparts in the US over the decision, with the US helping in the construction and design of Ching Chuan Kang Air Base in Taichung. The runway at Ching Chuan Kang Air Base has a 60-metre standard width and can accommodate large transport planes and B-52 bombers.
The Taiwanese military has also been building a large-scale ammunition depot in Chiayi’s Shuishang Township for the Fourth Tactical Fighter Wing as part of a NT$163.5 million (US$5.2 million) project scheduled for completion by March 2025.
The depot will hold communication surveillance systems and house missiles and precision strike weapons, potentially including AGM-88 HARM missiles and AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapons.
The trainer aircraft recently completed the second round of extreme weather trials after enduring icy, windy and sunny conditions.
The contract modification, awarded to Boeing, is worth $61.2 million and will support the US Navy’s (USN's) evolution of its P-8 Poseidon aircraft as continued upgrades are made to boost its capabilities and lethality.
The UK Ministry of Defence remains resolute that the Typhoon sits at the heart of the country’s air defence capabilities and is focused on the aircraft’s potential export orders, despite its continued focus on F-35 procurement.
The likely scrapping of Boeing’s Apache helicopter comes after a huge budget cut approved by the South Korean National Assembly. The helicopter procurement had already been reconsidered by the country’s Joint Chiefs of Staff earlier in the year.
The number of aircraft was stated by UK Defence Secretary John Healey during a Defence Committee hearing. It follows on from the UK’s decision to purchase F-35A aircraft to boost its nuclear deterrence, although hurdles and questions about the order still remain.
The use of air power by both sides in the ongoing conflict has been extensively focused on, influencing policy and procurement around the world. But are the lessons from the front line universally applicable, or should other nations be planning for very different scenarios?