TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense has decided to widen the runways of seven Air Force bases across the nation in response to the threat of Chinese ballistic missile attacks.

After conducting thorough assessments and consulting with U.S. counterparts, the military decided to standardize runway width to 60 meters, Liberty Times reported. Doing so would reduce runway repair time in the aftermath of a missile strike.

The time needed for repairing one or two large craters on a runway used to take four hours, but now takes 2.5 hours. After widening, repairs could be finished in under 2.5 hours, allowing fighter jets to take off rapidly for counterattacks.

The 60-meter standard was based on the Ching Chuan Kang Air Base in Taichung, which was constructed with the help of the U.S. and designed to accommodate B-52 bombers and other large transport planes. Many of Taiwan’s military runways currently have widths between 45-50 meters.

In addition to modifying its runways, the military is building a large-scale ammunition depot in Chiayi’s Shuishang Township for the Fourth Tactical Fighter Wing. The construction project has a budget of NT$163.47 million (US$5.2 million) and is scheduled to be completed by March 2025.

The project will feature a three-compartment ammunition depot, communication surveillance systems, broadcast systems, and firefighting equipment. Taiwan has purchased a considerable number of missiles and precision strike weapons in recent years, including AGM-88 HARM missiles and AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapons.