Posted on 11/17/2020 9:43:25 PM PST by RomanSoldier19
Taiwan’s air force has grounded its F-16 fleet after losing a plane on a training mission, President Tsai Ing-wen said on Wednesday (Nov 18), the second loss of a fighter jet in less than a month at a time of increased missions to intercept Chinese aircraft.
While Taiwan’s air force is well trained and well equipped, mostly with US-made equipment, it is dwarfed by China’s.
Beijing claims the democratic island as its own and has never renounced the use of force to bring it under Chinese control.
Last month, Taiwan’s defence minister said nearly US$900 million (S$1.2 billion) had been spent this year on scrambling the air force against Chinese incursions, describing the pressure they are facing as "great".
Late Tuesday, Taiwan’s air force said a US-built F-16 vanished shortly after taking off from the Hualien air base on the east coast on a routine training mission.
That followed the crash of an F-5 – a jet which first entered service in Taiwan in the 1970s – in late October.
Speaking to reporters, Ms Tsai said the air force had already grounded the F-16 fleet for checks.
"I have asked the defence ministry not to relax a bit on defence and combat readiness to ensure national security," she added.
The defence ministry called on media not to speculate on what happened to the F-16, adding that missions needed to continue considering the ongoing threat from China.
(Excerpt) Read more at straitstimes.com ...
“Aviation in itself is not inherently dangerous. But to an even greater degree than the sea, it is terribly unforgiving of any carelessness, incapacity or neglect.” (unknown)
You have to fly, train, fly, study, know the aircraft’s limits
and your limitations, stay current, breathe, eat and sleep flying that bird.
If not, you die and 90% of the time it is your fault and not the airplane’s. (It ain’t the F-16’s fault)
Signed,
Bat (20,900+ hours in 19 different airframes)(5 Prop and 14 Jet)
I assume at least some of those were military.
Did you fly any fighter jets? Cool, your experience, man.
Taiwan is sweating the 2020 voting outcome.
Thank You and I’ll be Seconding that. (Minus all the Flight Hours)
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