Sputnik News
Date: 25.03.2020

The navy, air force and army of Taiwan conducted extensive military drills on Tuesday as part of the “Lien Hsiang” exercises – which also involved a mock invasion of the island.

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) announced Tuesday that it had conducted large-scale military exercises throughout the country that began around 5:30 a.m. on March 24 with simulated air attacks that were supposed to represent strikes from the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF).

“The drills were designed to test the combat readiness of our forces and their responses to an all-out invasion by the enemy,” the MND said, reported the South China Morning Post.

A total of eight F-16 fighter jets of the Republic of China Air Force departed Hualien Air Base that morning and, during a number of missions, practiced intercepting long-range attacks from a mock Chinese aerial invasion. According to the Taipei Times, aircraft also practiced making emergency landings on the base’s backup runway in the event that the main runway was damaged and needed to be repaired by ground crews.    [FULL  STORY]