The Ministry of National Defense’s next phase of military reduction is set to begin in July next year with plans to limit military command of outlying islands as well as cutting down the Republic of China Navy and Air Force, according to the ministry’s most recent report sent to the Legislative Yuan.
The downsizing project, named Yong Ku (勇固), would pick up where the Ching Tsui (精粹) program left off, to focus on trimming military command and control, with an eye to downsizing the armed forces to between 170,000 and 190,000 men, Minister of National Defense Yen Ming (嚴明) said last week.
The military currently has 215,000 personnel, across all of the armed forces, the ministry said.
Photo: Yu Tai-lang, Taipei Times
Cutting the number of commanding officers on different levels would expedite decisionmaking, the ministry’s report to the Legislative Yuan said, adding that the program would be reviewing high-tier officers in the General Staff Headquarters and the headquarters of all the armed forces.
The total number of command units, currently 11, would be decreased in adherence with the new staffing structure, the report said, adding that the authority and allocation of forces would also be reviewed.
Over the next five years, the Kinmen, Matzu, Penghu and the Huadong area commands would be led by major generals, rather than lieutenant generals, it added.
The project would also affect the navy’s and the air force’s base guards, by incorporating those personnel into the general security and defense plans, the report said.
The report said that confirmed equipment retirements include F-5 jets and the MIM-23 Hawk missiles, adding that the air force was deliberating its fleet size and that the government expected to mothball several other jets.
The navy would review its fleet structure and retire old and outdated ships, it said, adding however, that other units would be increasing personnel.
Meanwhile, information technology and cyberwarfare units are to be expanded and the army would upgrade and broaden its autonomous aircraft systems, in hopes of developing combat-capable autonomous aerial vehicles, the report said.
The Thunderbolt-2000 multiple-launch rocket system would be upgraded in hopes of achieving long-range strike area capability, making the systems equivalent to tactical missiles, it added.
The navy would also be expanding its coast-based mobile antimissile units to improve its asymmetrical warfare capability to maintain control of the sea in the region, the report said.
Preparation for implementing Yong Gu would start in January and last until June next year, Yen said, adding that official implementation is set to begin in July and end in December 2019.
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