Military Affairs

Chinese warships appear off Taiwan’s east coast ahead of Pelosi visit

PLA type 055 missile destroyer
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

A Chinese missile destroyer and a missile frigate were detected 45 nautical miles southeast of Taiwan’s Orchid Island this morning, as tensions rise ahead of speculation that US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi will arrive later today and meet with Taiwan’s parliamentary body tomorrow. A visit by Pelosi, second-in-line to the American Presidency would mark the highest level visit of an American official since then House Speaker Newt Gingrich visited Taiwan in 1997. While Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs

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Pilot rescued after fighter plane crashes into ocean

Taiwan Air Force Dassault Mirage 2000
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

An ROC Air Force fighter jet crashed into the ocean off Taiwan’s east coast this morning, and the pilot was rescued after ejecting from the aircraft, according the Ministry of National Defense. At 11:25 am, The Dassault Mirage 2000 crashed into the Pacific Ocean around 10 nautical miles off the coast of Taitung County after taking off from the Taitung Chihhang Air Base at 10:08 am. Executive Yuan Spokesperson Lo Ping-cheng said that the Ministry of National Defense had dispatched

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US Navy destroyer transits the Taiwan Strait

composite image USS Ralph Johnson and Taiwan Strait
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

A US Navy guided-missile destroyer transited the Taiwan Strait today, February 26, and turned on its Automated Ship Identification System (AIS) – a clear signal that the US military wanted everybody to be aware of the ship’s presence in the key waterway. Chinese think tank South China Sea Probing Initiative was first to announce the transit in a Tweet this morning, noting that the “USS Ralph Johnson (DDG-114) is transiting the #TaiwanStrait, with an[sic] USN EP-3E providing ISR support from

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M41A3 “Walker Bulldog” tanks retired after more than 60 years of service in Taiwan

M41A3 Walker Bulldog tanks in action in live fire military drills on Kinmen Island, Taiwan
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

Military officials have announced that a decommissioning ceremony will be held later this week to retire the aging M41A3 “Walker Bulldog” tank after 63 years of service in the ROC Army. The M41A3 was developed by the US military immediately following World War II. Mounting a 76 mm main gun, the light tank was designed for close infantry support and rapid airborne deployment. With 5,000 units manufactured, the M41A3 played important roles in the Korean and Vietnam wars. The M41A3

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Testing of made in Taiwan armored vehicle vs European cars continues: Last week a Volvo, this week a Škoda

Taiwan army CM-33 Clouded Leopard and Skoda Fabia after minor collision
Military Affairs Traffic Accidents 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

A Taiwan army CM-33 “Clouded Leopard” armored vehicle had a minor collision with a Škoda Fabia during urban combat drills in New Taipei City today, just six days after a similar incident in Taoyuan City. At around 2:00 pm, the 8-wheeled, 22-tonne domestically-produced CM-33 driven by a 24-year-old army sergeant from the Guandu Division, hit the rear of the Czech-made supermini car in front of the Zhuwei MRT Station in Tamsui District. Fortunately, nobody was injured in the accident, and

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F-16 fighters back in the air after being grounded following crash

Taiwan ROC air force F-16V
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

A sortie of four two-seater F-16V fighter jets took off from Chiayi Airforce Base this morning, marking a return to the air for F-16 fleet after being grounded for inspection following a crash January 11. The squadron was led by Major General Wei Zhaolin, in a morale-boosting return to combat readiness, Air Force Command said. All F-16’s, including standard and upgraded F-16V (BLOCK 20), in both single and two-seat configurations are now returned to flight service, AFC said. In the

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Flight data recorder of crashed F-16 found

composite image of F16V and wreckage
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

Taiwan’s Air Force Command announced this evening that the flight data recorder (black box) of an F-16V fighter that crashed into the sea on Taiwan’s west coast has been found. The single-seat fighter plane crashed into the sea close to the shore of the Aogu Wetlands in Dongshi Township, Chiayi County, during a training mission on Tuesday, January 11. A search and rescue mission turned into a salvage and recovery operation after it was confirmed that the 28-year-old pilot, Captain

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Two new rapid minelaying boats inaugurated at Zuoying Naval Base

Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

President Tsai Ing-wen presided over the inauguration ceremony for two new rapid minelaying boats at Zuoying Naval Base in Kaohsiung City today, December 14. The two boats will form the 1st and 2nd Mine Boat Squadrons of the 192nd Fleet (Minesweeper Fleet) of the ROC Navy. The navy spent NT$917.7 million to commission four of the vessels which were all delivered by Longteh Shipbuilding Company in 2021. President Tsai said that the shipbuilding program demonstrates Taiwan’s achievements in promoting the

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Air force F-16V fighter reported to have crashed at sea

Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

An ROC Air Force F-16V fighter aircraft crashed into the sea off the coast of Chiayi County, according reports this afternoon, Tuesday, January 11. The single-seat F-16V No.6650 was conducting air-to-ground bombing training when it crashed into the sear near Dongshi Township at 3:23 pm. Coast Guard vessels and two military helicopters were immediately dispatched to search for the 28-year-old pilot, Captain Chen Yi. Air Force Command stated in a press release this afternoon that the fighter jet No. 6650

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Regional defense news: US sub re-homed to West Pacific, missile launch site development near Taiwan

composite image of naval and defense activity in northwest Pacific and South China Sea
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , , , ,

In moves resembling a game of geostrategic chess, the US has forward-deployed a nuclear submarine to “the tip of the spear” in Guam, Japan’s development of a missile launch site on Ishigaki Island, near Taiwan, is advancing, China’s Liaoning aircraft carrier has sailed through the Miyaki Strait into the West Pacific, and a German naval vessel is in the South China Sea for the first time in 20 years. USS Jefferson City forward-deployed to new home base Guam The Los

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Navy takes delivery of two more rapid mine-laying ships, increasing asymmetric combat power

rapid mine-laying boat docking at Su'ao Harbor
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

Taiwan’s ROC Navy officially took delivery of two rapid mine-laying ships at a ceremony yesterday, December 16, marking an upgrade in national defense research and development, and the improvement of naval mine-laying capability. The two vessels, FMLB-2 and FMLB-3 are the second and third of four rapid mine-laying ships to be built by domestic shipbuilder Lungteh Shipbuilding. The first of the tentatively-named “Minjiang” Class mine-laying ships was launched August 4, 2020. According to the Ministry of National Defense, the ships

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