The Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology yesterday conducted a live-fire missile drill from its coastal base in Pingtung County and sent missiles into waters off the coast of Yilan County.
The missile test took place from 2pm to 4pm at Jiupeng Base, with the projectiles projected to travel 290km at altitudes of up to 4,500m, said the institute, the main research and development unit of the Ministry of National Defense.
Naval vessels and aircraft were warned of the drill, which affected waters and airspace off the coast of eastern Taiwan.
Daily Air, which operates flight services between Taitung County and Orchid Island (Lanyu, 蘭嶼), canceled flights scheduled during the testing period.
Asked for further details about the test, the institute declined to comment.
The institute, which is under the ministry’s Armaments Bureau, is engaged in the development, manufacture and sale of various weapons systems and dual-use technologies.
In related news, Hualien Air Force Base is to be open to the public on Aug. 10 to demonstrate the capabilities of the nation’s air force and to foster relations between civilians and the military, the ministry said in a news release on Tuesday.
The base, home to the multi-role F-16 Fighting Falcon, is to hold its open base activities from 9am to 4pm, the ministry said.
The event would also celebrate the 82nd anniversary of air combat operations in the Battle of Shanghai on Aug. 14, 1937, during the Second Sino-Japanese War, it said.
The air force’s Thunder Tiger Aerobatics Team and the main guardians of the nation’s airspace — F-16s, Dassault Mirage 2000s and F-CK-1 Ching-Kuo fighters — are scheduled to perform a series of aerial stunts to demonstrate their maneuverability, the ministry said.
In addition, an air force honor guard is to perform a drill and airmen would demonstrate their ground combat skills, it said.
The public would also have an opportunity to see a variety of other aircraft and weapons systems, including the state-of-the-art AH-64E Apache and UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, as well as Tien Kung surface-to-air missiles, the ministry said.
Shuttle buses are to provide transportation to the base from Hualien Distillery, Hualien Baseball Stadium, Hualien Railway Station and Beipu Railway Station between 7am and 3pm, with return service to begin at 4pm, it said.
To gain admission to the base, Taiwanese must present their national identification card or other form of identification, while foreign nationals married to Taiwanese must be accompanied by their spouses, the ministry said.
Foreign caregivers must be accompanied by their employers and present government-issued identification, such as their Alien Residence Certificate or passport, it said.
Other foreign nationals who wish to attend the open base event are advised to call (03) 822-1143 ext. 874058 for information, it added.
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