Doubts about air defenses
US leaks: Taiwan is well armed for the Chinese attack
4/15/2023, 7:34 PM
Tensions between China and Taiwan may one day escalate into a military conflict. Leaked US documents indicate that the island nation will be at a military disadvantage in one area in particular.
According to a US report, the Taiwan Air Force may be in a very bad position in the event of a military conflict with China. The Washington Post, citing classified US documents posted online, reported that Taiwan is highly vulnerable to Chinese air strikes. Accordingly, officials in Taiwan are said to be suspicious that their air defense system can accurately detect missile launches. In addition, more than half of Taiwan’s aircraft are said to be operating at full capacity.
According to the newspaper, the documents indicate that the Chinese air force will have a much better chance of controlling the airspace at an early date. The newspapers said that Pentagon analysts considered Taiwan’s missile warning maneuvers insufficient. It is unlikely that Taiwan will be able to thwart China’s military air superiority in any conflict. Tensions between China and Taiwan have increased recently.
Beijing considers the Island Democratic Republic part of the People’s Republic of China and threatens to occupy it. Taiwan has had an independent government for more than 70 years. Dozens of classified US documents have been circulating on the Internet for weeks. Jacques Teixeira, a 21-year-old member of the US Army, is suspected of having posted it in a closed chat room. From there they spread further until the authorities and the media learned about them. Teixeira was arrested on Thursday. The US government recently warned of potential document tampering.
According to the Washington Post, when asked, the US Department of Defense did not comment on the documents on Taiwan. Taiwan’s defense ministry said it respects “outside opinions on its military readiness” and that defense systems are “carefully designed based on enemy threats”.
