 |
| Mark Rourke @flickr |
Taiwanese Army to station Apache helicopters ... | Taiwan News:
Apache helicopters will be stationed at Feng Nien Airport in Taitung County on rotational basis
By Kelvin Chen, Taiwan News, Staff Reporter
2020/06/09 16:53
TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — As the military threat to Taiwan posed by China has increased, the Army Aviation and Special Forces Command plans to station squadrons of Apache helicopters at Feng Nien (豐年) Airport in Taitung County in order to strengthen Taiwan's military preparedness.
It is understood that the command's Apache helicopters will use the airport as one of many designated areas for rotational training. However, the plan is still awaiting approval amid concerns over noise, and negotiations with local authorities continue, according to Liberty Times.
Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲), a scholar at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, pointed out that this new plan can provide support to eastern Taiwan while simultaneously allowing Aviation and Special Forces Command pilots normally stationed in western Taiwan to become familiar with the entire nation's landscape. Su explained that this will contribute to quicker response time during a conflict.
Su also said that Feng Nien Airport has the optimal infrastructure and conditions for helicopter rotation as well as excellent terrain and geographical location, which will help increase the flexibility of Taiwan's Armed Forces in deploying troops.
The Army Aviation and Special Forces Command currently have 29 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters and 61 AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopters. In 2014, the Army purchased 60 UH-60M Blackhawk helicopters from the U.S. — 30 of which were transferred to the command and can be outfitted with military equipment and armaments to carry out missions during wartime.
The Aviation and Special Forces Command currently stations its helicopters in Longtan, Taoyuan; Xinshe, Taichung; and Guiren, Tainan — all of which are in western Taiwan.
Ah-64 Apache: Details
No comments:
Post a Comment