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'''Republic of China Air Force'''
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|---|
| Personnel | 53,000 (2004 est.)
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| Combat aircraft | 420 (2005 est.)
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| Early warning | 6
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| Transport | 36
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| Electronic warfare | 5
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| Helicopters | 35
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The 'Republic of China Air Force' (中華民國空軍;
pinyin: Zhōnghuá Mínguó Kōngjūn) is the
aviation branch of the
military of the Republic of China (
Taiwan), and is often viewed as one of the most professional and capable branches of the
Republic of China's armed forces.
[1] The ROCAF's primary mission is the defense of the airspace over and around
Taiwan against an attack by the
People's Republic of China. Current priorities of the ROCAF include the development of long range reconnaissance and surveillance networks, integrating
C4ISTAR systems to increase battle effectiveness, procuring counterstrike weapons, next generation fighters, and hardening airfields and other facilities to survive a surprise attack.
As of May 2005, the Ministry of National Defense has indicated its intention to transfer command of all defensive missile systems to the ROCAF, while future offensive missiles will be placed under an as yet unformed missile command.
Organization
Like most of the other branches of the ROC armed forces, much of the ROCAF's structure and organization is patterned after the
United States Air Force. Like the USAF, the ROCAF has a wing → group → squadron structure.
★ 'Air Force General Headquarters' (空軍總司令部)
:Air Force GHQ is subordinate to the General Staff (military), the Minister of Defense (civilian), and the ROC President.
:
★ Internal Units: Personnel, Combat Readiness & Training, Logistics, Planning, Communications, Electronics & Information, General Affairs, Comptroller, Inspector General, Political Warfare.
:
★ 'Air Force Combatant Command' (作戰司令部)
::
★ Weather Wing (氣象聯隊):
Tamsui,
Taipei County
::
★ Communications, Air Traffic Control & Information Wing (通信航管資訊聯隊):
Taipei City
::
★ Air Tactical Control Wing (戰術管制聯隊)
:
★ 'Air Defense Artillery & Garrison Command' (防砲警衛司令部)
:
★ 'Education, Training & Doctrine Command' (教育訓練暨準則發展司令部)
:
★ 'Logistics Command' (後勤司令部)
:
★ 'Combat Wings' (作戰聯隊)
::
★ 401st Tactical Fighter Wing (401聯隊):
Hualien AFB flying flying F-16A/B
::
★
★ 17th Fighter Squadron "Thor"
::
★
★ 26th Fighter Squadron "Witch"
::
★
★ 27th Fighter Squadron "Black Dragon"
::
★ 427th Tactical Fighter Wing (427聯隊):
Ching Chuan Kang AFB flying F-CK IDF-1A/B
::
★
★ 7th Fighter Squadron "Wolf"
::
★
★ 8th Fighter Squadron "Flying Dragon"
::
★
★ 28th Fighter Squadron "Baby Dragon"
::
★ 439th Combined Wing (439聯隊):
Pingtung AFB flying C-130H,: E-2T, and C-130HE
::
★
★ 10th Tactical Airlift Group
::
★
★
★ 101st Airlift Squadron
::
★
★
★ 102st Airlift Squadron
::
★
★ 20th Electronic Warfare Group
::
★
★
★ 6th Electronic Warfare Squadron
::
★
★
★ 2nd Early Warning Squadron
::
★ 443rd Tactical Fighter Wing (443聯隊):
Tainan AFB flying
F-CK-1A/B
::
★
★ 1st Fighter Squadron
::
★
★ 3rd Fighter Squadron
::
★
★ 9th Fighter Squadron
::
★ 455th Tactical Fighter Wing (455聯隊):
Chiayi AFB flying F-16A/B and S-70C
::
★
★ Air Rescue Group
::
★
★ 21st Fighter Squadron
::
★
★ 22nd Fighter Squadron
::
★
★ 23rd Fighter Squadron
::
★ 499th Tactical Fighter Wing (499聯隊):
Hsinchu AFB flying Mirage 2000-5Di/Ei
::
★
★ 41st Fighter Squadron "Holy Shield"
::
★
★ 42nd Fighter Squadron "Cobra"
::
★
★ 48th Fighter Squadron "Holy Eagle"
::
★ 737th Fighter Training Wing (737聯隊):
Taitung AFB flying F-5E/F
::
★
★ 44th Fighter Squadron
::
★
★ 45th Fighter Squadron
::
★
★ 46th Fighter Squadron
:
★ 'Air Force Base Command' (基地指揮部)
::
★ Sungshan Base Command (松山基地指揮部)
::
★ Taoyuan Base Command (桃園基地指揮部)
:
★ 'Air Force Academy' (空軍官校):
Gangshan AFB
''Sources:''
[2] [ 2004 National Defense Report See Part III, Ch. 7-III: "Air Force"]
History
Main articles: List of aircraft used in China before 1937,
Development of Chinese Nationalist air force (1937-1945)
Formally established in 1920 as the Aviation Ministry, the ROCAF was active during the tenure of the ROC on
Mainland China. In this
period, various airplanes were purchased and deployed by warlords in their struggle for power until nominal
Chinese reunification in 1928.
During the
Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945), the ROCAF participated in attacks on Japanese warships on the eastern front and along the Yangtze river including support for the
Battle of Shanghai in 1937. The Chinese frontline fighter aircraft initially comprised mainly of the Curtiss Hawk II and III and the Boeing P-26 model 281, and engaged Japanese fighters in many major air battles beginning on the 14th of August 1937, when Imperial Japanese Navy warplanes raided Chienchiao airbase; "814" has thus become known as "Air Force Day". Chinese Boeing P-26/281 fighters engaged Japanese Mitsubishi A5M fighters in what is among the world's first aerial dogfighting between all-metal monoplane fighter aircraft. A unique mission in April 1938 saw two Chinese
B-10 bombers fly a mission over Japan, but dropping only propaganda leaflets over the Japanese cities of
Nagasaki and
Saga. It was a war of attrition for the Chinese pilots, as many of their most experienced ace fighter pilots, such as Lieutenant
Liu Tsui-Kang and Colonel
Kao Chih-Hang were lost.
In the latter-half of the Sino-Japanese War, and what's generally known overall as
World War II, the ROCAF was augmented by the participation of the American Volunteer Group (the
Flying Tigers) in 1941. The ROCAF was involved in attacks on Japanese air and ground forces in the Chinese theatre throughout the war.
ROCAF General HQ was established in June 1946. From 1946-1948, during the
Chinese Civil War, the ROCAF participated in combat against the
People's Liberation Army engaging in air to air combat on at least eleven occasions in the areas surrounding the
Taiwan Strait. The ROCAF reportedly enjoyed a 31:1 kill ratio against the PLA. GHQ was evacuated to Taiwan along with the rest of the ROC Government in April 1949 following the Communist victory in the Chinese Civil War. The ROCAF assisted in halting the PLA advance at the
Battle of Kuningtou on
Kinmen the same year.
The ROCAF regularly patrolled the Taiwan Straits and fought many engagements with their Communist counterpart (the
PLAAF). The ROCAF received modern equipment from the US at that time, such as the F-86 Sabrejets.
During the
Cold War, the ROCAF was involved in combat air patrols over the Taiwan Strait and engaged the
PLAAF on several occasions. The ROCAF was also the testbed of American technology at this time. The first successful kill scored by an air-to-air missile was accomplished by an ROCAF F-86 Sabrejet with then experimental
AIM-9 Sidewinder. ROCAF pilots also flew
U-2 recon overflights of the PRC during this time with assistance from the USAF. Known as the
Black Cat Squadron, they flew 102 missions, and lost 5 planes. All five were shot down by
SA-2 surface-to-air missiles, the same type of surface-to-air missile that shot down
Gary Powers over the USSR in 1960.
In 1984, Taiwan began the development of the
IDF (Indigenous Defense Fighter), after China lobbied the US State Department to block the sale of
F-16. The IDF's maiden flight was made in 1989, and the plane entered service in 1994. Taiwan was subsequently able to buy the
F-16 from the US and
Mirage 2000 from France.
Equipment
The ROCAF's armament includes over 400 combat aircraft, the mainstay being the F-16 and F-CK-1 IDFs, with the Mirage-2000s being its most formidable air-defence fighter. The older F-5s are gradually being phased out.
Most of the ROCAF's armament was purchased from the
United States, which also assists in the training of some ROCAF pilots at
Luke AFB in Arizona. The Mirage-2000 fighters were purchased from
France in the early 1990s. The F-CK-1 IDF fighter and the Sky Sword series of missiles are examples of domestically designed and produced systems currently in service.
Recent procurement plans
In January 2006, the Air Force announced it wished to buy planes with
VSTOL capability, especially the US
F-35. It also wished to upgrade its current
F-16s and
Mirage 2000-5s, possibly even purchasing second-hand
F-15s. However, the US rejected the sale of F-35s or F-15s. There were no reports as to how France had responded.
In mid 2006, the Air Force announced plans to buy 66 F-16 C/D Block 52 aircraft from the US for $3.1 billion USD.
[3] On October 2nd 2006, the US said that it would not allow the purchase of the 66 F-16s at that time. According to sources cited by National Defense Minister Lee Jye, the U.S. stance was that until a long-stalled arms purchase package consisting of six Patriot Missile Batteries, 12 P-3C Orion anti-submarine aircraft and 8 conventional submarines cleared the legislature, it did not see Taiwan as having a consistent military procurement plan and temporarily blocked the sale.
[4]
The Taiwanese
Legislative Yuan approved the 2007 defence budget that included funds for part of the arms purchases on
June 16 2007, so it was expected that F-16 sale would be authorised in due course. Negotiations over the F-16 purchase had resumed by July 2007.
[5]
On
28 February 2007, the
U.S. Defense Department approved an order made by Taiwan for 218
AIM-120C-7 AMRAAM, as well as 235
AGM-65G2 Maverick missiles, associated launchers and other equipment. The total value of this order was revealed to be $421 million USD.
[6]
On
10 August 2007, a shipment of
Harpoon anti-ship missiles was also authorised by the
U.S. Defense Department, valued at an estimated $125 million. Included in the package were 60
AGM-84L Block II missiles and 50 upgrade kits to bring the ROCAF's existing Harpoons up to Block II, mark L standard.
[7]
Aircraft inventory
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Versions
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|In service
[ Equipment - ROC Air Force ]
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes
|-----
|
F-16 Fighting Falcon || || Fighter ||
F-16 A/B Block 20 || 146 ||
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|
Dassault Mirage 2000 || || Fighter ||
Mirage 2000-5EI || 56 ||
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AIDC F-CK-1 Ching-kuo || || Fighter ||
F-CK IDF-1A/B || 128 ||
|-----
|
Northrop F-5 || || Fighter ||
F-5E/F || 60+ || Built under licence by AIDC
|-----
|
E-2 Hawkeye || || Airborne Early Warning || E2T || 6 ||
|-----
|
C-130 Hercules || || Tactical transport
ELINT ||
C-130H
C-130HE || 19
1 ||
Modified C-130H
[8]
|-----
|
AIDC AT-3 || || Trainer || || 36/17 ||
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T-34 Mentor || || Trainer || US-1A || 41 ||
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Beechcraft 1900 || || VIP Transport|| B-1900C || 11 ||
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Fokker F50 || || VIP Transport || || 3 ||
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Boeing 737 || || VIP Transport || B737-800 || 1 ||
|}
Missile inventory
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Missile
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Versions
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|In service
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes
|-----
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AIM-7 Sparrow || || Air-to-air|| || 600 ||
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AIM-9 Sidewinder || || Air-to-air || || 1082+ ||
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AIM-120 AMRAAM || || Air-to-air || AIM-120C-5
AIM-120C-7 || 120
218 ||
Ordered
|-----
|
AGM-65 Maverick || || Air-to-ground || AGM-65B
AGM-65G
AGM-65G2 || 500
40
235 ||
Ordered
|-----
|
AGM-84 Harpoon || || Anti-ship || || 57 ||
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|
Sky Sword I || || Air-to-air || || 300 ||
|-----
|
Sky Sword II || || Air-to-air || || 250 ||
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MBDA MICA || || Air-to-air || || 960 ||
|-----
|
R550 Magic || || Air-to-air|| || 480 ||
|}
See also
★
People's Liberation Army Air Force
★
Political status of Taiwan
★
Kwon Ki-ok, the first female pilot in the Republic of China Air Force
[9]
★
ROC Air Force Museum
References
1. Introduction - ROC Air Force
2. ROC Air Force
3. US official confirms that Taipei requested fighters
4. Defense ministry says Bush is blocking F-16 sales
5. Taipei in talks to buy 66 F-16s from US
6. US missile deal to boost Taiwan defense
7. US Congress notified of possible sale of missiles
8. Lockheed Martin/CSIST C-130HE
9. “韩国空军祖母”是我师姐 ("Korea's Grandmother of Aviation" was my senior) Lirui Yang
External links
★
ROC Air Force website(Chinese)
★
ROC active aircraft (In English)
★
TaiwanAirPower.org
★
Annals of the Flying Tigers
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