A formerly top-secret aircraft shelter hollowed out of a mountain in Taitung, eastern Taiwan, was revealed to the press yesterday.
The site is a smaller version of Hualien's Chiashan base and is capable of housing dozens of fighter planes. It was designed to preserve the air force's second strike capability during war time.
PHOTO: REUTERS
The aircraft shelter, in Taitung's Chihhang air base, was built several years ago to supplement facilities at the base -- which started operations in 1993 -- as part of the so-called "Chienan" project.
The opening of the site to the media was intended to demonstrate the air force's combat strength, which it routinely does in the lead-up to the Lunar New Year. Photographers, however, were forbidden to take photos of the site's outward appearance.
In Hsinchu, the 499th combat wing showcased scrambles by Mirage 2000 fighter planes and the manual fitting of Magic air-to-air missiles to a Mirage.
The 499th is the only combat wing of the air force that uses Mirage 2000 fighters and it has also been a training ground for air force leaders in recent years. Former premier and defense minister Tang Fei (
Tang's later success as both a military and political leader helped create a trend in the air force to look to the 499th wing, also known as the second wing, for its future prospective leaders.
For example, Lieutenant General Ke Kuan-yueh (
Meanwhile, at Taitung's Chihhang air base, it was shown how the problems of a shortage of combat pilots is to be solved through intensified training at its F-5E and F-5F training squadrons.
The F-5E and F-5F training squadrons prepare air force academy graduates before they fly fighter planes.
Base leaders said that, starting from February, a total of 64 fully trained pilots will be assigned in sequence to fighter wings comprised of second-generation fighters planes, including Mirage 2000, F-16s and the IDF.
One of the trainees, a captain who only be identified by his surname Mo, told the Taipei Times that one of the main factors slowing the supply of new pilots to combat units was the number of required training hours.
"We need to fly 400 hours as trainees before we can be accepted as combat pilots. To meet this requirement takes time. Although the training process is long, I think it will make us become more confident and competent as combat pilots," Mo said.
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