This isn’t the first time People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft have flown into the airspace between the south part of Taiwan and Taiwanese-controlled Pratas Islands in the South China Sea. But the size and mix of the force are unusual. Normally, such flights involve one to three reconnaissance or anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft. But on Saturday it was eight bombers, four fighters and one ASW plane. The next day the PLA sent a dozen fighters, two ASW planes and a reconnaissance plane. Taiwan’s air force scrambled in response on both days.
torsdag 28. januar 2021
China likely to keep challenging Biden on Taiwan
Some analysts predicted Beijing would “test” the Biden administration, perhaps within three months of taking office. It turns out it only took a few days. Last Saturday and Sunday Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan’s southwestern air defense identification zone.
This isn’t the first time People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft have flown into the airspace between the south part of Taiwan and Taiwanese-controlled Pratas Islands in the South China Sea. But the size and mix of the force are unusual. Normally, such flights involve one to three reconnaissance or anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft. But on Saturday it was eight bombers, four fighters and one ASW plane. The next day the PLA sent a dozen fighters, two ASW planes and a reconnaissance plane. Taiwan’s air force scrambled in response on both days.
This isn’t the first time People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft have flown into the airspace between the south part of Taiwan and Taiwanese-controlled Pratas Islands in the South China Sea. But the size and mix of the force are unusual. Normally, such flights involve one to three reconnaissance or anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft. But on Saturday it was eight bombers, four fighters and one ASW plane. The next day the PLA sent a dozen fighters, two ASW planes and a reconnaissance plane. Taiwan’s air force scrambled in response on both days.
