Military Affairs

Air Force Fighter and Pilot Missing at Sea

mirage 2000 Taiwan ROC Air Force
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

[Picture: Ministry of Defense.] Taiwan’s navy and air force today are continuing the search for a pilot who went down in the ocean 60 nautical miles north of Pengjia Islet yesterday evening. Search and rescue operations were launched after contact with the Mirage 2000 was lost at 6:43pm, November 7. The aircraft was piloted by 28 year-old Captain Ho Tzu-yu (何子雨) of the 499th Tactical Fighter Wing, and was on a routine night flying training mission at the time. Air

Read more

Mobile Missile Battery Involved in Car Accident

Patriot 3 mobile missile launcher
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment

A mobile Patriot 3 missile launching platform was involved in a car accident this morning in Xindian (Hsintien) District, New Taipei City. Nobody was hurt in the accident. According to Chinese language media reports, the military vehicle was taking a turn at around 10:10pm when it approached the bend at the wrong angle. When the driver backed up to correct his turn, the trailer hit a civilian car stopped behind the vehicle. The PAC-3 missiles were not damaged in the

Read more

Two Collisions Involving Navy Ships in One Day

Keelung-class destroyer 1803
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

A navy Keelung-class destroyer collided with a fishing boat in Suao Port this morning, while in the port of Kaohsiung another Keelung-class destroyer was hit by a chemical tanker trying to berth at the port. At the Port of Suao in Ilan County, shortly before 8:00am, navy destroyer DDG-1801 hit a fishing vessel from behind as both were underway. The fishing boat captain, Wang Shingshen (王興盛) accused the warship of traveling too quickly. The fishing boat had a crew of

Read more

Army Parachutists Land in Taipei City

parachutists land at CKS Hall Taipei City
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

In the lead up to an event to be held by the Ministry of Defense July 8, parachutists landed in the square of Chiang Kai Chek Memorial Hall this morning. Weather permitting, parachutists will make the same drop July 5,6,7 and 8. The parachutists belonging to the Army Shenlong Squadron leaped from a CH-47 helicopter at 4,500 feet to practice a precision landing to be made during a national high school drill team contest to be held on Saturday. The

Read more

US National Defense Act Calls for Navy Ships to Visit Taiwan

us navy ships
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

The US Senate Armed Services Committee has passed the National Defense Authorization Act for the fiscal year 2018, which includes provisions for the reestablishment of regular ports of call by the US Navy at Kaohsiung and other suitable ports in Taiwan. The committee voted unanimously 27-0 to pass the act, according United States Senate Armed Services Committee website. Wall Street Journal and other media outlets are reporting the committee voted 21-6, but agree the bill received bipartisan support. The NDAA

Read more

US Marines to be Stationed in Taiwan: No Problem

American Institute in Taiwan Neihu Compound
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lee today said that plans by American Institute in Taiwan to station Marines to guard its new compound in Neihu District, Taipei City was legal under international diplomatic conventions. The Minister was responding to a question raised by DPP legislator Tsai, Shih-Ying (蔡適應) in the Legislative Yuan. Tsai asked whether it would be legal for the AIT to station American troops in its compound, and if so, would it be legal for those troops to

Read more

Fighter Malfunction Affects Civilian Flights in Okinawa

ASDF Japan F-15
Military Affairs Regional 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

A Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-15 fighter aircraft lost a tire while taking off at Naha Airport today, causing the runway to be blocked for more than two hours. At least 60 civilian flights and 3,800 passengers were affected by the incident. One of four F-15s had to abort take-off at around 1:20pm when a tire peeled off the front wheel, leaving the fighter stranded on the airport’s single runway. The aircraft was removed after repairs shortly after 3:00pm. In

Read more

Codename: Iron Legs, Marines Start 250km 5 Day Loaded March

Iron Legs: a march of 250 kilometers carrying weapons and kit
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

[Picture: ROC Marine Corps] 99th Marine Brigade ‘Iron Force’ set out this morning, December 14, on a 250km loaded march that will take 5 days to complete. The military has dubbed the exercise “Iron Legs”. Along the way, troops will engage in live fire exercises including machine gun, grenade, and mortar fire. At times, the soldiers will be marching at night, and over various types of terrain. The exercise aims to strengthen the physical endurance, courage, and confidence of troops,

Read more

Military Drone Missing in Chiayi County

Sharp Kite military surveillance drone used by Taiwan army
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

An unmanned aerial vehicle belonging to an Army Special Air tactical reconnaissance battalion went missing, around Jhuci Township in Chiayi County, yesterday, October 27. Operators lost contact with the vehicle during a routine training mission at around 4:00pm, while it was flying over mountainous terrain. The army have called off further operations of the drones, while they search for the missing aircraft. The UAV is a “Sharp Kite” class surveillance drone, developed in Taiwan at National Chungshan Institute of Science

Read more

Army Tank Falls off Bridge: 3 Dead, 1 Injured

A CM11 Tank upside down in the water after falling off a bridge.
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

An ROC Army CM11 ‘Brave Tiger’ tank went over the side of a bridge and landed upside down in a stream this morning, trapping four people inside. Three of the trapped soldiers died while one was rushed to hospital after his heartbeat was restored by CPR. The accident happened at around 10:30am during the ROC military’s annual Han Kuang Exercise in Pingtung County near Hengchun. The trapped soldiers couldn’t be reached until 11:38am. Two of the three hatches were submerged,

Read more

Taiwan Navy Accidentally Fires Missile: 1 Killed, 3 injured

Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

A fishing boat captain was killed and 3 crew injured when a Taiwan Navy crew accidentally fired a Hsiung Feng III anti-ship missile during a drill in the Taiwan Strait this morning July 1, 2016. Around 8:10am crew on a 500-ton Chinchiang-class corvette were testing equipment when they accidentally fired the missile. The missile with a range of 300 kilometers fell into waters near Penghu. An explosion on a fishing boat was reported around the same time but it was

Read more