TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Two Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on Sunday (Dec. 20), marking the 12th such intrusion this month.
A People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Shaanxi Y-8 anti-submarine warfare plane and a Shaanxi Y-8 electronic warfare aircraft flew into the southwest corner of the ADIZ, according to the Ministry of National Defense (MND). In response, Taiwan's military scrambled jet fighters, issued radio warnings, and deployed air defense missile systems to track the Chinese aircraft.
The Y-8 is a medium-size, medium-range transport aircraft based on the Soviet Antonov An-12 and produced by the Shaanxi Aircraft Corporation. It can be operated by as few as two or as many as five crew members, depending on the variant.
The Y-8 is 34 meters in length and has a 38-meter wingspan. It is fitted with four WJ-6 turboprop engines and has a maximum speed of 660 kilometers per hour, a 10.4-km service ceiling, and a maximum range of 5,615 km.
Over the past three months, China has been regularly entering Taiwan’s ADIZ, with most occurrences taking place in the southwest corner of the zone. In November, PLAAF planes were detected intruding into Taiwan’s identification zone a total of 22 times; in October, Chinese military aircraft also were spotted in the ADIZ on 22 occasions, including a drone on Oct. 22.
Also on Sunday, China’s Shandong aircraft carrier transited south through the Taiwan Strait accompanied by four warships, according to the MND. Taiwan dispatched six ships and eight aircraft to track the carrier group during its passage.
Chinese Y-8 EW plane on Dec. 20 (MND photo)
Flight path of Chinese planes on Dec. 20 (MND image)