Taiwan targets airbase runways for upgrades to keep jets flying under attack
- The runway at the Hualien base is the first of seven to be widened under a defence ministry programme
- The works will ensure that fighters can continue to operate even if part of the air strips are damaged
The NT$668 million expansion programme at the Hualien Air Base on the eastern side of the island is the first of a series of widening works to ensure there are minimum operating strips (MOS) at bases across Taiwan under fire.
A military source said runways at seven airbases – including Hualien – would be widened to 60 metres (197 feet) from 45-50 metres to make them more resilient in the event of a missile attack from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
According to the government’s procurement website, the operating strips will “increase the operational capacity of the runway and taxiway” and “allow the air force to keep its combat power in the air”.
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An MOS is the smallest amount of runway an aircraft needs for landing, take-off and warplane operations.
Similar works are expected to begin this year on runways at Hsinchu Air Base in the north, Chiayi Air Base in the west, Tainan Air Base and Pingtung Air Base in the south, Chiashan Air Base in Hualien and Chihhang Air Base in the east.
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Chang Yen-ting, a retired air force general, said the runways needed to be widened because of the threat of missile attacks from the mainland.
Expanding the runaways would give the island’s air force more room for manoeuvre to operate its fleets if it had to repair the airstrips after an attack, Chang said.
“This will allow our warplanes to remain operational if parts of the runways in those airbases are destroyed by missiles from the PLA,” he said, adding the widening would give more space for MOS operations and allow minimum clearance in the airfields.
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The runway at Ching Chuan Kang Air Base in Taichung, central Taiwan, is the only one that meets 60 metre requirement – those at seven other airbases are within 45 to 50 metres, affecting clearance and repairs under attack.
Beijing – which views Taiwan as part of its territory to be reunited, by force if necessary – reportedly plans to use missiles to disable Taiwan’s airbases if the decision was made to attack.
It has in recent years intensified its military activities near Taiwan as part of its pressure campaign against the island since Tsai Ing-wen, of the Democratic Progressive Party, was elected president in 2016 and refused to accept the one-China principle.
Beijing has also accused the Tsai government of trying to collude with “external forces”, including the United States, to counter the mainland and promote separatist activities.
Like most countries, the US does not recognise Taiwan as an independent state but is opposed to any attempt to take the island by force and is committed to supplying it with weapons.
