A four-minute air show for the Double Ten National Day ceremony in Taipei yesterday marked the largest warplane fly-by ever staged in Taiwan.
The aerial show began with helicopters flying in formation, including three S-70C air force search-and-rescue helicopters, three S-70C navy marine-patrol helicopters, six OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters, six UH-1H utility helicopters, six AH-1W attack helicopters and three CH-47SD medium transport helicopters.
Six low-velocity aircraft, comprising three BH-1900 and three C-130H transport planes, passed by the Presidential Office after the helicopters.
Photo: Lu Chun-wei, Taipei Times
Those were followed by two 15-strong formations of the nation’s most modern fighters — five F-16s, five Indigenous Defense Fighters and five Mirage 2000-5s.
The event ended with seven AT-3 jet trainers from the Thunder Tiger Aerobatics Team flying in formation and emitting red, white and blue smoke trails.
A total of 71 aircraft were involved in the show.
Photo: CNA
The military aircraft entered Taipei airspace from the Tamsui River (淡水河) estuary and flew over Boai Special District (博愛特區), the country’s political nerve center.
A parachute-jumping display followed the fly-by.
Twelve members of the army’s Dragon Group jumped from a CH-47SD helicopter at an altitude of 1,524m northeast of the Presidential Office.
The crowd was enthralled as the paratroopers floated down from the sky and applause erupted when six of them landed on the Presidential Office plaza.
However, only five landed directly on target on Ketagalan Boulevard in front of the Presidential Office, while one member landed safely in a control area on Chongqing S Road. The remaining six landed in three separate parks near the Presidential Office.
Military spokesperson Colonel David Lo (羅紹和) said air turbulence had compromised a precision landing, adding that a parachutist had sustained a minor injury to a leg during landing.
This was the first time in years a skydiving show was held as part of the Double Ten National Day celebrations. In previous ceremonies, the event had been canceled because of poor weather.
A ground parade was also held, which involved PAC-3 missile batteries; Hsiung Feng III anti-ship missile batteries; Tien Kung III air defense missile batteries; Ray Ting 2000 multiple-rocket launch systems; unmanned aerial vehicles; 11,356 liter water purifier vehicles; nuclear, biological and chemical reconnaissance vehicles; decontamination vehicles associated with chemical weapons activity; and various multifunction squad cars.
A total of 168 vehicles took part in the parade.
Additional reporting by CNA
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is maintaining close ties with Beijing, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday, hours after a new round of Chinese military drills in the Taiwan Strait began. Political parties in a democracy have a responsibility to be loyal to the nation and defend its sovereignty, DPP spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) told a news conference in Taipei. His comments came hours after Beijing announced via Chinese state media that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command was holding large-scale drills simulating a multi-pronged attack on Taiwan. Contrary to the KMT’s claims that it is staunchly anti-communist, KMT Deputy
RESPONSE: The government would investigate incidents of Taiwanese entertainers in China promoting CCP propaganda online in contravention of the law, the source said Taiwanese entertainers living in China who are found to have contravened cross-strait regulations or collaborated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could be subject to fines, a source said on Sunday. Several Taiwanese entertainers have posted on the social media platform Sina Weibo saying that Taiwan “must be returned” to China, and sharing news articles from Chinese state media. In response, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has asked the Ministry of Culture to investigate whether the entertainers had contravened any laws, and asked for them to be questioned upon their return to Taiwan, an official familiar with the matter said. To curb repeated
Myanmar has turned down an offer of assistance from Taiwanese search-and-rescue teams after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the nation on Friday last week, saying other international aid is sufficient, the National Fire Agency said yesterday. More than 1,700 have been killed and 3,400 injured in the quake that struck near the central Myanmar city of Mandalay early on Friday afternoon, followed minutes later by a magnitude 6.7 aftershock. Worldwide, 13 international search-and-rescue teams have been deployed, with another 13 teams mobilizing, the agency said. Taiwan’s search-and-rescue teams were on standby, but have since been told to stand down, as
RSS