Alexa
  • Directory of Taiwan

Chinese anti-submarine turboprop enters Taiwan’s ADIZ

Taiwan sent aircraft, issued radio warnings, deployed air defense missile systems to track PLAAF aircraft

  1599
Chinese Y-8 ASW (MND photo)

Chinese Y-8 ASW (MND photo)

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone on Monday afternoon (June 14), marking the third intrusion this month.

A single People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Shaanxi Y-8 anti-submarine warfare plane flew into the southwest corner of Taiwan’s ADIZ, according to the Ministry of National Defense (MND). In response, Taiwan sent aircraft, issued radio warnings, and deployed air defense missile systems to track the plane.

Chinese planes have been spotted in Taiwan’s identification zone on three days this month — June 3, 4, 14 — and the aircraft were all slow-flying turboprops. Since September of last year, Beijing has dialed up its gray zone tactics by frequently sending planes into Taiwan’s ADIZ, with most instances taking place in the southwest corner of the zone.

An ADIZ is an area that extends beyond a country’s air space where air traffic controllers ask incoming aircraft to identify themselves. Gray zone tactics are defined “as an effort or series of efforts beyond steady-state deterrence and assurance that attempts to achieve one’s security objectives without resort to direct and sizable use of force.”

According to MND data, Chinese aircraft were tracked in the identification zone 18 times in May, 22 times in April, 18 times in March, 17 times in February, and 27 times in January. Last year, they were observed 19 times in December, 22 times in November, and 22 times in October.
Chinese anti-submarine turboprop enters Taiwan’s ADIZ
Flight path of Chinese plane on June 14 (MND photo)