The military will hold its annual Han Kuang series of war games in the middle of next month as scheduled, practicing emergency fighter landings on a freeway, among other drills, Ministry of National Defense spokesman Major General David Lo (羅紹和) said.
The second stage of the Han Kuang exercises, scheduled for Sept. 15 to Sept. 19, are to follow computer-aided war games held in May, Lo said.
He said the exercises are to be carried out as planned and will not be affected by two recent incidents — a jetliner crash on Penghu and a series of gas pipeline explosions in Greater Kaohsiung. Forty-eight people died in the crash on July 23, while 30 were killed in the blasts on July 31 and Aug. 1.
In a symbol of mourning for the victims of the two incidents, the military has canceled the opening of its Air Force Academy in Greater Kaohsiung’s Gangshan District (岡山), which was scheduled for Aug. 30.
However, Lo said that the air force emergency landing drill on Sept. 16 would be held as scheduled on the Minsyong section of the National Sun Yat-sen Freeway (Freeway No. 1) in Chiayi County as part of the “Han Kuang No. 30” exercises.
The freeway section is one of four that has been designated for use as emergency runways in the event of war.
The annual Han Kuang exercises, the nation’s most important war games, involve the air force, navy and army.
Meanwhile, hundreds of military personnel have been engaged in relief and recovery efforts at the Kaohsiung disaster site and assisting people in areas of the city affected by weekend floods caused by torrential rain, Lo said.
Members of the military have been helping residents to pump water and move their belongings to higher ground, he said.
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