TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — While the Taiwanese military was engaging in a live-fire exercise involving its arsenal of long-range missiles early on Wednesday (Sept. 9), several People's Liberation Army Airforce (PLAAF) fighter jets penetrated Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), prompting the Air Force to issue 24 warnings to drive the Chinese warplanes away.
From 7:07 to 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday morning, as Taiwan's National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) began testing either air defense missiles or tactical ballistic missiles, multiple PLAAF warplanes breached Taiwan's ADIZ from the southwest several times. The jets included Sukhoi-30s (Su-30) and Chengdu J-10s, according to the Ministry of National Defense (MND).
The jets were spotted entering the ADIZ at the altitudes of 1,500 meters, 2,500 m, 4,000 m, 4,500 m, 7,000 m, and 9,000 m, reported Liberty Times. Taiwan's Air Force issued a total of 24 warnings to the Chinese warplanes before they finally exited the ADIZ, according to the report.
As the maximum trajectory height set for the Taiwanese projectiles in the drill was listed as "unlimited," local media have speculated that the weapons system being tested was the Tien Kung III (天弓三, Skybow III) surface-to-air anti-ballistic missile. The trajectory height for such exercises normally ranges between "0 to 25,000 feet."
The MND condemned the "CCP's unilateral act of sabotaging regional peace and stability" and emphasized that the military's joint intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance can instantly assess the enemy's disposition and adapt combat readiness based on the situation. The ministry called on the public to remain calm, as the situation was under control.
As for reports that the PLA is encircling Taiwan's Dongsha Islands (Pratas Islands), the MND said this was a "false media report" and stressed that such an incident has not occurred.
