Air force plans more hardened aircraft hangars
By Aaron Tu, Lee Jung-ping and William Hetherington / Staff reporters, with staff writer
The air force plans to build 26 more hardened aircraft shelters as the number of F-16Vs stationed along Taiwan’s east coast is expected to reach 120 when the final shipment of 66 jets procured from the US arrives.
The incoming jets would be stationed at Chihhang Air Base in Taitung County, augmenting the F-16V Block 20s operated by the 5th Tactical Fighter Wing in Hualien County, officials said yesterday.
The air force plans to allocate more than NT$6.88 billion (US$218.1 million) from next year to 2031 to build the shelters in Hualien and Taitung as part of the implementation of a “one aircraft, one shelter” policy.
An F-16V jet lands at the Chiashan Air Force Base in Hualien County on Aug. 17.
Photo: Ann Wang, Reuters
Based on the Ministry of National Defense’s budget proposal for next year, 22 of the shelters would be built in Hualien and four in Taitung. The air force plans to build five general aircraft hangars and related facilities at the Hualien base to house transport aircraft.
The air force’s budget plan calls for NT$65.53 million to be allocated next year for project management, surveying, drilling and preliminary design.
Detailed design, tendering and contract awards are scheduled for 2028 and 2029, with construction beginning in 2030, and construction, inspection and project closeout to be completed in 2031.
The air force said in its budget proposal that during defensive operations, frontline fighter aircraft would be dispersed to the Jiashan and Shihzishan facilities in Hualien and Taitung respectively to preserve combat capabilities.
It needed to reassess the number of aircraft as well as the protective capacity and requirements of existing shelters.
The new shelters would be designed to withstand high levels of explosive force, ensuring that sufficient numbers of fighter jets could be preserved to continue carrying out joint suppression, interception and homeland defense missions in the event of a sudden enemy attack or during a contingency, the air force said.
Once the 7th Tactical Fighter Wing in Taitung has received all 66 F-16V Block 70s, eastern Taiwan would have about 110 to 120 F-16Vs, based on public releases, making the region one of the most important concentrations of Taiwan’s fighter aircraft.
In related developments, President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday urged military officers to adapt to rapidly changing global conditions and advances in technology by putting people first, using artificial intelligence as a supporting tool and remaining grounded in the realities of real-world combat.
Lai made the remarks at the opening ceremony for next year’s class of officers undergoing advanced military education at National Defense University’s Shuaijhen Campus in Taoyuan.
He called on them to strengthen the effectiveness of joint operations and asymmetric capabilities and to prepare for the transformation of the armed forces and future defense planning and combat readiness.
Lai recalled the saying, “Even when a country is at peace, forgetting war will bring danger,” to remind military officers that their resolve to defend Taiwan’s sovereignty and safeguard peace across the Taiwan Strait must not waver.
Only by continuously strengthening and investing in national defense can peace be secured through strength, he said.
Lai also said that the government would continue to provide the resources to improve military personnel’s pay and service conditions, serving as the armed forces’ strongest support so that personnel can serve with peace of mind and devote themselves fully to defending the country.
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