Republic of China Air Force

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Republic of China Air Force
Personnel	53,000 (2004 est.)
Combat aircraft	420 (2005 est.)
Early warning	6
Transport	36
Electronic warfare	5
Helicopters	35

The Republic of China Air Force (traditional Chinese: 中華民國空軍; simplified Chinese: 中华民国空军; 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.

In May 2005, the Ministry of National Defense indicated its intention to transfer command of all defensive missile systems to the ROCAF, while future offensive missiles would be placed under a newly-formed missile command.

Contents 1 Organization 2 History 3 Equipment 3.1 Recent procurement plans 3.2 Aircraft Inventory 3.3 Missile inventory 4 See also 5 References 6 External links

[edit] 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 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-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][3]

[edit] History

Main articles: List of aircraft used in China before 1937 and 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, part of World War II, the ROCAF was augmented by a volunteer group of American pilots (the Flying Tigers) in 1941. Throughout the war the ROCAF was involved in attacks on Japanese air and ground forces in the Chinese theatre.

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 its 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, losing 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 pressured the US State Department to block the sale of the F-16 to the island. 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 2000-5 from France.

[edit] Equipment

The ROCAF's inventory 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 equipment was purchased from the United States, which also assists in the training of some ROCAF pilots at Luke AFB in Arizona. The Mirage 2000-5 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.

[edit] Recent procurement plans

In January 2006, the Air Force announced it wanted to buy planes with VSTOL capability, especially the US F-35. It also expressed an interest in upgrading 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 media reports as to how France 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.^[4] 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 US 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.^[5]

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 resumed in July,^[6] though concerns were raised that the US would not give authorisation for the sale before the deadline imposed by the Legislative Yuan at the end of October.^[7]

On 28 February 2007, the US 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.^[8]

On 10 August 2007, a shipment of Harpoon anti-ship missiles was also authorised by the US 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.^[9]

[edit] Aircraft Inventory

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	In service[3][10]	Notes
Lockheed F-16 Fighting Falcon	United States	multirole fighter	F-16 A/B Block 20	144
Dassault Mirage 2000-5	France	multirole fighter	Mirage 2000-5EI/DI	56
AIDC F-CK-1 Ching-kuo	Republic of China	fighter	F-CK-1A/B	128
AIDC F-5E/F Tiger II	Republic of China	fighter	F-5E/F	60+	built under licence by AIDC
Grumman E-2 Hawkeye	United States	AEW	E-2T/K	6
Lockheed C-130 Hercules	United States	tactical transport ELINT	C-130H C-130HE	19 1	modified in Taiwan[11]
AIDC AT-3 Tzu Chung	Republic of China	trainer		36/17
Beechcraft T-34 Mentor	United States	trainer	US-1A	41
Beechcraft 1900C Airliner	United States	VIP transport	B-1900C	11
Fokker F50	Netherlands	VIP transport		3
Boeing 737	United States	VIP transport	B737-800	1

[edit] Missile inventory

Missile	Origin	Type	Versions	In service[3][10]	Notes
Sperry/Douglas AIM-7 Sparrow	United States	air-to-air		600
Hughes/Raytheon AIM-9 Sidewinder	United States	air-to-air		1082+
Hughes/Raytheon AIM-120 AMRAAM	United States	air-to-air	AIM-120C-5 AIM-120C-7	120 218	ordered
Hughes/Raytheon AGM-65 Maverick	United States	air-to-ground	AGM-65B AGM-65G AGM-65G2	500 40 235	ordered
Boeing AGM-84 Harpoon	United States	anti-ship	AGM-84L	110	60 + 50 upgrade kits ordered
CSIST Sky Sword I	Republic of China	air-to-air		300
CSIST Sky Sword II	Republic of China	air-to-air		250
MBDA MICA	France	air-to-air		960
Matra R550 Magic	France	air-to-air		480

[edit] See also

• Black Bat Squadron
• People's Liberation Army Air Force
• Political status of Taiwan

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• ROC Air Force website(Chinese)
• ROC active aircraft (In English)
• TaiwanAirPower.org
• Annals of the Flying Tigers

v • d • e Military of the Republic of China Branches Army · Navy · Marine Corps · Air Force · Military Police Organisations Ministry of National Defense · National Security Bureau · Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology Equipment Sky Bow · Sky Sword I / II · Hsiung Feng I / II / IIE / III · IDF Ching-kuo · CM-32 · T65 / T86 / T91 assault rifle · T93 sniper rifle Issues Weapons of mass destruction · Political status of Taiwan · Taiwan independence · Taiwan Strait crises