By Matthew Strong, Staff Writer — Taiwan News, 19 January 2022
TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Chihang Air Force Base in Taitung County stepped up air defense drills ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday. The base near Taiwan’s southeast coast will house 66 F-16V fighter jets the country is expected to receive from The United States by the end of 2026. Wednesday’s drills simulated the defense of the base against attacks by enemy jets and missiles, also involving the Skyguard radar air defense system.
The Air Force described the maneuvers as routine drills in preparation for the Lunar New Year holiday in late January and early February, though it also mentioned the almost daily intrusions into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) by Chinese military aircraft. While most intrusions occur southwest of Taiwan’s main island, Chinese military aircraft occasionally also show up in the southeast, off Taitung County.