TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Air Force’s 5th Tactical Fighter Wing carried out “hot refueling” drills for F-16 fighter jets Friday morning at Chiashan Air Force Base in Hualien.

The drills are part of the ongoing Han Kuang 41 live-fire exercise, which began on Wednesday.

The fighter jets first arrived at a designated location with their engines running, Military News Agency reported. Ground crew first connected bonding and grounding lines to safely discharge static electricity, ensuring that fueling could be conducted safely.

After completing safety checks, personnel quickly connected the fuel hose to the aircraft. Simultaneously, system checks were performed. Both pilots and ground crews maintained high alert to ensure the aircraft were refueled and redeployed in the shortest possible time.

Hot refueling significantly reduces the time an aircraft stays on the ground and guarantees it has optimal combat readiness to defend Taiwan’s airspace against emerging threats, per Military News Agency.