TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Runway safety and operational efficiency have improved since the Air Force began using machines to remove foreign object debris at four airports, the Ministry of National Defense said in a recent Legislative Yuan budget report.

Since 2020, the Air Force and the Civil Aeronautics Administration have been jointly verifying the machines' effectiveness at reducing damage to aircraft and improving flight safety for both military and civilian aircraft. Currently, they are used at airports in Tainan, Taichung, Taitung, and Penghu, the Liberty Times reported.

The mechanism is towed by a vehicle and can remove pieces of metal, rubber rings, and gravel from the runway. It can clean a 7-meter-wide portion of asphalt at a time at 35 kilometers per hour, greatly reducing the manpower required.

According to the Air Force, there were 15 fewer damaged tire incidents and 549 additional kilograms of debris picked up each month in 2021 thanks to the machines, per the Liberty Times. Additionally, 198 fewer personnel were dispatched to do the same duty.

The Air Force stated that the machines can be used in tandem with sweeper vehicles during normal operations. However, it can rapidly clean large areas of runway during wartime or emergency situations to ensure missions can be carried out safely.

The Air Force currently employs traditional sweeper vehicles at 11 airports and still uses personnel to remove foreign objects from runways.