TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Army is moving forward with budget preparations for its plan to station some of its AH-64E Apache helicopters at Taitung’s Fengnian Airport for training purposes, despite opposition from local residents.
According to a budget report, the Army Aviation and Special Forces Command intends to move some Apache helicopters to the new location to meet the needs of wartime missions and disaster prevention in the east, alleviate a saturation of training airspace along the west coast, and address insufficient aircraft storage issues. The command will build two hangars at Fengnian Airport, CNA reported.
Officials previously pointed out that once the airport is renovated, training helicopters — mostly consisting of Apaches — can be serviced locally, and pilots can be more familiar with the terrain of eastern Taiwan, which will strengthen combat operations, Liberty Times reported.
Though its plan has been approved since May 2019, the Army Aviation and Special Forces Command has met opposition from local residents who are worried about noise pollution and its impact on their quality of life. As a result, the command has suspended the project and stated that it will continue to communicate with residents to work out a solution.
According to the budget report, the command stated it will accelerate the implementation of the plan only after obtaining a consensus from locals. It added that it plans to start construction bidding before the end of 2021.
