People interested in seeing the nation’s most advanced attack helicopter, the AH-64E Apache, will have a chance to do so later this month, when the military holds an open day at one of its bases, the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday.
The helicopters will be among the military aircraft, equipment and vehicles to be put on display on Saturday next week at Zuo-ying Naval Base in Kaohsiung for public viewing, ministry spokesman Major General David Lo (羅紹和) said.
Visitors will also get a glimpse of the UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter recently acquired from the US, he said, adding that some of the navy’s vessels will be opened to the public for a tour.
Combat skills demonstrations will also be staged on the open day, he said.
The event is one of five open days at different military bases this year, the ministry said, adding that the open days will only be accessible to Taiwanese nationals.
Visitors are not allowed to engage in campaigning activities or bring campaign vests, flags or banners onto military bases, it added.
There has been increasing public interest in the AH-64E Apache since Lieutenant Colonel Lao Nai-cheng (勞乃成), a qualified Apache pilot, gave a local TV personality and other civilians access to the helicopter at an army base in Taoyuan in March.
Lao has since been removed from his post as deputy head of a helicopter squadron in Taoyuan under the Army Aviation Special Forces Command and was shifted to a position as an official responsible for logistics affairs.
His case was referred to Taoyuan prosecutors, who decided on Aug. 21, after months of investigation, not to indict him or any of the visitors he allowed onto the base.
However, Lao was later suspended from active duty for two years, according to a decision made by the Judicial Yuan’s Public Functionary Disciplinary Sanction Commission on Oct. 2.
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