Republic of China Air Force

Republic of China Air Force
Active	1920–present
Country	Republic of China( Taiwan )
Insignia
The National Emblem of the Republic of China
Aircraft flown
Electronic warfare	5
Fighter	420
Helicopter	35
Reconnaissance	6
Transport	36

The Republic of China Air Force (simplified Chinese: 中华民国空军; traditional Chinese: 中華民國空軍; pinyin: Zhōnghuá Mínguó Kōngjūn) is the aviation branch of the military of the Republic of China (Taiwan). 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 and Procurement 4 Aircraft Inventory 5 Missile inventory 6 Air Defence Systems 7 See also 8 References 9 External links

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 used to have a wing → group → squadron structure. After November 2004, tactical fighter wing switch to wing → Tactical Fighter Group, with some fighter squadron stood down, with each tactical fighter group, still pretty much the same size as squadron, now commanded by a full Colonel.

• 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 Command (防空砲兵指揮部)

• Air Defense Artillery Training Center (國軍防空砲兵訓練中心): Pingtung
  • Target Service Squadron
  • Education Service Support Company
  • First training company
  • Second training company
  • Third training company

• 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 AB flying F-16A/B
  • 17th Tactical Fighter Group "Thor"
  • 26th Tactical Fighter Group "Witch"
  • 27th Tactical Fighter Group "Black Dragon"
  • 12th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron
• 427th Tactical Fighter Wing (427聯隊): Ching Chuan Kang/CCK AB flying F-CK-1A/B
  • 7th Tactical Fighter Group "Wolf"
  • Stood down: 8th Fighter Squadron "Flying Dragon"
  • 28th Tactical Fighter Group "Baby Dragon"
• 439th Combined Wing (439聯隊): Pingtung AB flying C-130H,: E-2T/2000, 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 Air Base flying F-CK-1A/B
  • 1st Tactical Fighter Group
  • 3rd Tactical Fighter Group
  • 9th Tactical Fighter Group
• 455th Tactical Fighter Wing (455聯隊): Chiayi AB flying F-16A/B and S-70C
  • Air Rescue Group
  • 21st Tactical Fighter Group
  • 22nd Tactical Fighter Group
  • 23rd Tactical Fighter Group
• 499th Tactical Fighter Wing (499聯隊): Hsinchu AB flying Mirage 2000-5Di/Ei
  • 41st Tactical Fighter Group "Holy Shield"
  • 42nd Tactical Fighter Group "Cobra"
  • 48th Training Group "Holy Eagle"
• 737th Fighter Training Wing (737聯隊): Taitung AB flying F-5E/F
  • 44th Fighter Squadron
  • 45th Fighter Squadron
  • 46th Fighter Squadron (believed this unit had stood down around 2004/2005, due to shortage of pilots)

• Makung Air Base Command : Has one squadron of F-CK-1 from either CCK or Tainan AB on detachment every year from April to October
• Air Force Base Command (基地指揮部)

• Sungshan Base Command (松山基地指揮部)

• Air Force Academy (空軍官校): Kangshan AB

Sources:^[1][2]

History

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. In February 1932 US Reserve Lt Robert McCawley Short who was transporting armed Chinese aircraft shot down an IJN aircraft February 19, 1932 and a IJN aircraft February 22, 1932 before he was killed; he was posthumously raised to the rank of Colonel in the Chinese Air Service.

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. The 35th "Black Cat" Squadron is not be confused with 34th "Black Bat Squadron".

Equipment and Procurement

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.

The development of the IDF (Indigenous Defense Fighter) was started in 1984 due to the United States refusing to sell the F-16 to the ROCAF. The IDF's maiden flight was made in 1989, and the plane entered service in 1994. The ROCAF was subsequently able to obtain the F-16 from the US and Mirage 2000-5 from France.

The ROCAF's main supplier of equipment is the United States, which also assists in the training of some ROCAF pilots at Luke AFB in Arizona.

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.^[3] On October 2, 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 the ROC as having a consistent military procurement plan and temporarily blocked the sale.^[4]

The Taiwanese Legislative Yuan approved the 2007 defence budget, which included funds for part of the arms purchases on June 16, 2007.

On February 28, 2007, the US Defense Department approved an order made by the ROC for 218 AIM-120C-7 AMRAAM missiles, 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.^[5]

In June 2007, the Legislative Yuan approved the upgrade of the existing PAC-2 batteries to PAC-3 standard. In November, the Pentagon notified the US Congress of the Patriot upgrade order.^[6]

On August 10, 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.^[7]

On October 3, 2008, arms notifications were sent to Congress concerning, amongst other things, the sale of 330 PAC III missiles, 4 missile batteries, radar sets, ground stations and other equipment valued up to $3.1 billion USD, the upgrade of 4 E-2T aircraft to the Hawkeye 2000 standard and $334 million USD worth of spare parts for the ROCAF's F-16s, IDFs, F-5E/Fs and C-130s.^[8]

Aircraft Inventory

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	In service[2][9]	Notes
Fighter Aircraft
Lockheed F-16 Fighting Falcon	United States	Multirole Fighter	F-16 A/B Block 20	144	About 8-10 F-16A/B Block 20 is at Luke AFB, USA, for advance training. 8 F-16A/B are assigned to 12th TRS as recon aircraft with yet unknown recon pod.
Dassault Mirage 2000-5	France	Multirole Fighter	Mirage 2000-5EI/DI	56
AIDC F-CK-1 Ching-kuo	Taiwan	Multirole Fighter	F-CK-1A/B	127	At least 1 wing expected start the upgrade to F-CK-1C/D standard by end of 2008
Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter|Northrop F-5E/F Tiger II	United States	Fighter	F-5E/F	33[10]	Over 300 Built locally under licence by AIDC. Besides the limited number of F-5E/F in service, there's another ~90 to 100 in reserve status.
Early Warning Aircraft
Grumman E-2 Hawkeye	United States	Airborne Early Warning	E-2T E-2C Hawkeye 2000	4 2	The 4 E-2T are being upgraded to Hawkeye 2000.
Trainer Aircraft
AIDC AT-3 Tzu Chung	Taiwan	Advance Trainer	AT-3A/B	36/17	Also 2 A-3 attack version were built, 901 and 902, retired and on display.
Beechcraft T-34 Mentor	United States	Basic Trainer	US-1A	41
Transport Aircraft
Lockheed C-130 Hercules	United States	Tactical Transport ELINT	C-130H C-130HE	19 1	Modified in Taiwan[11]
Beechcraft 1900C	United States	VIP Transport	B-1900C	11	2 are use for airbase radar calibration
Fokker F50	Netherlands	VIP Transport	F50	3
Boeing 737	United States	VIP Transport	B737-800	1	Air Force One
Helicopters
Sikorsky S-70C Blue Hawk	United States	Search and Rescue	S-70C-1/1A/6	17	10 S-70C-1, 3 S-70C1A, 4 S-70C-6

Missile inventory

Missile	Origin	Type	Versions	In service	Notes
Air-to-air missiles
AIM-120 AMRAAM	United States	Medium-range	AIM-120C-5 AIM-120C-7	120 218	Ordered
AIM-7 Sparrow	United States	Medium-range		600
MBDA MICA	France	Medium-range		960
Sky Sword II	Taiwan	Medium-range		250
AIM-9 Sidewinder	United States	Short-range	Various	1082+
R550 Magic	France	Short-range		480
Sky Sword I	Taiwan	Short-range		300
Air-to-ground missiles
AGM-65 Maverick	United States	Air-to-ground	AGM-65B AGM-65G AGM-65G2	500 40 234	Ordered
Anti-ship missiles
AGM-84 Harpoon	United States	Anti-ship	AGM-84L	110	60 + 50 upgrade kits ordered

Air Defence Systems

Platform	Origin	Type	In service	Notes
PAC-2 batteries with 200 GEM missiles	United States	SAM	3	Upgrading to PAC-3 batteries. 1 battery is done and sent back to Taiwan, 2nd battery had just authorized to send to US for upgrade and refurbish.
PAC-3 batteries with 330 PAC-3 missiles	United States	SAM	4	Ordered
Sky Bow I/Sky Bow II/Sky Bow III batteries	Taiwan	SAM	6	Sky Bow I missiles phased out by 2015; Sky Bow III missiles to be introduced
MIM-23 HAWK launchers	United States	SAM	20	Replaced by 12 Sky Bow II batteries in 2010
Skyguard radar system with Sparrow SAM	Switzerland	SAM with OTO 35mm AAA	24	6 batteries, each with 4 radars, airbase defense
Antelope System with TC-1 AAM	Taiwan	SAM with Bofors 40mm/L70 AAA	6	6 batteries, airbase defense

See also

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

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Republic of China Air Force

• ROCAF website (Chinese)
• ROC active aircraft (In English)
• TaiwanAirPower.org
• IMINT & Analysis: Taiwan's SAM Network
• Bluffer's Guide: Fortress Taiwan

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