Luchtmacht van de Republiek China
The Republic of China Air Force traces itself to an aviation department Sun Yat-sen set up in Guangdong on 29 November 1920, fought Japan from 1937 and lost the civil war on the mainland, and since 1949 has defended the islands the ROC government still administers — Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu — against the People’s Republic of China, which claims Taiwan; in 2026 it flies about 139 upgraded F-16Vs, Mirage 2000-5s and indigenous Ching-kuo fighters while it waits for 66 new F-16 Block 70s running two years late.
The Republic of China Air Force story: from Guangdong in 1920 to Taiwan, Sidewinders over the strait and the F-16V
1920–1949: from Sun Yat-sen’s aviation department to the war with Japan
The Air Force Command Headquarters dates the service to Sun Yat-sen, who began raising money among overseas Chinese for an air arm in 1912 and on 29 November 1920 created an aviation department in Guangdong; the force marked its centenary on 29 November 2020. Chiang Kai-shek started an aviation class in Nanjing in 1929 and in 1931 founded the Central Aviation Academy at Hangzhou. When full-scale war with Japan began in 1937 the Chinese Air Force flew Curtiss Hawk IIs and IIIs, Boeing P-26s and Fiat CR.32s; the official history singles out the battles over Jianqiao and Nanjing in August 1937 and Wuhan in 1938. Under the 1937 Sino-Soviet pact it received Polikarpov I-15s and I-16s and Soviet volunteer crews, then American help: Chennault’s American Volunteer Group from 1941 and the Chinese-American Composite Wing from 1944. An Air Force Command Headquarters was formed in 1946, with General Zhou Zhirou as its first commander.
1949–1958: the move to Taiwan and the first missile kills
Defeat in the civil war moved the air force to Taiwan in 1949. Its P-51s helped the army stop the PLA landing at Kuningtou on Kinmen that October, according to the English Wikipedia account, and from 1954 the United States supplied T-33s, F-84Gs and then F-86F Sabres — 320 F-86Fs in all, with most delivered between December 1954 and June 1956. The test came in the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis of 1958. The air force’s own history says its pilots “yielded the score of 31:1” in the air battles over the strait; Wikipedia’s account, citing US sources, gives 31 PLA MiGs shot down against two ROC F-86s. On 24 September 1958 ROC Sabres fired AIM-9 Sidewinders supplied under a secret US Navy programme, the first air-to-air missile kills in combat. The PRC’s own tally was not found in the sources checked, and the claims of both sides should be read as claims.
1953–1974: Black Bats, Black Cats and secret wars
The quieter war was reconnaissance. The 34th Squadron, the Black Bats, formed in 1953 at Hsinchu to drop agents and collect signals intelligence over the mainland; Taiwan News, reporting the death of its leader Chao Chin in 2020, credits it with more than 800 missions and about 148 aircrew lost, and Chris Pocock’s history (as summarised by Wikipedia) counts 838 missions and 15 aircraft down. The 35th Squadron, the Black Cats, formed in 1961 at Taoyuan and flew U-2s for a joint programme with the CIA: 220 operational missions, about half over the PRC, with five aircraft shot down by SA-2 missiles, three pilots killed and two captured. The last mission was flown on 24 May 1974. ROC crews also flew two C-123 transports in Vietnam from November 1967, losing about 25 men and three aircraft, and from 1979 to 1990 more than a thousand ROCAF personnel served in Yemen.
1982–1997: shut out of the F-16, Taiwan builds its own fighter
American recognition of the PRC in 1979 closed the obvious route to new fighters. The US would not sell the F-20 or the F-16, so Taiwan built its own: the Indigenous Defense Fighter, the AIDC F-CK-1 Ching-kuo, launched in 1982, first flown on 28 May 1989 and in service from 1992, according to the air force site. Its programme was cut from 256 to 130 aircraft in 1991 because the political weather changed: in 1992 the United States agreed to sell 150 F-16A/Bs and France 60 Mirage 2000-5s, and both types entered service in 1997 — the ROCAF was the first air force to operate the Mirage 2000-5. AIDC had already licence-built 242 F-5Es and 66 F-5Fs by 1986, giving Taiwan at one point the largest F-5 fleet in the world. The good side of this era was three modern fighter types in five years; the bad side was three separate logistics chains for a small air force.
2012–2026: F-16V, Brave Eagle and the end of the F-5
The F-16s were rebuilt to F-16V standard under the Phoenix Rising programme from 2012 to 2023; Taiwan News counts 140 aircraft converted. A further 66 new F-16 Block 70s were ordered in 2019 for completion in 2026. Lockheed Martin delivered the first in the United States on 29 March 2025, but the programme slipped: Defence Minister Wellington Koo said in October 2025 that completing all 66 in 2026 would be difficult, and the first two did not leave the United States until 17 August 2026, with the rest now expected in 2027 and 2028. The indigenous T-5 Brave Eagle trainer, first flown on 10 June 2020, replaced the AT-3 and F-5 in training; the 66th was delivered on 20 September 2026. The last F-5Fs and RF-5Es flew their final sortie at Hualien in July 2025 after 60 years, and a night-flying F-16V was lost off Hualien on 7 January 2026, killing its pilot.
Under daily pressure: the PLA around Taiwan, and what is still missing
Everything the ROCAF does now happens under the eyes of the PLA. Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense reports Chinese aircraft around Taiwan every day; CSIS’s ChinaPower project, quoted by Taiwan News, counted 2,866 entering Taiwan’s air defence identification zone from January to November 2024, and Taiwan News’s tally of ministry reports gives 167 military aircraft in August 2026 alone. During the PRC Eastern Theater Command’s drills the numbers jump: 76 aircraft on 1 April 2025 during Strait Thunder-2025A and 130 aircraft over two days of Justice Mission 2025 in December, by Taiwan’s count. Beijing calls such drills a response to “separatist forces”; Taipei calls them provocation. The air force is answering with MQ-9B drones (two flying at Hualien since September 2026), 26 new hardened shelters planned for the east coast and a Mirage fleet it keeps alive on a five-year Dassault contract. What is still missing is the Block 70 fleet itself, a successor to the Mirage and the T-34C, and time.
The Republic of China Air Force in numbers
Dienst
- Inheemse naam
- 中華民國空軍Republic of China Air Force in traditional Chinese, as used by the Air Force Command Headquarters (空軍司令部) of the Ministry of National Defense. It is often called the Taiwan Air Force in English-language news
- Opgericht
- 29 November 1920Sun Yat-sen’s aviation department in Guangdong, the date the service used for its centenary in 2020. An Air Force Command Headquarters was formed in 1946: its first commander, Zhou Zhirou, is listed from 1 June 1946, while Wikipedia dates the reorganisation to 16 August 1946
- Onderdeel van
- Republic of China Armed ForcesUnder the Ministry of National Defense, Minister Wellington Koo; Chief of the General Staff Admiral Mei Chia-shu
- Hoofdkwartier
- Air Force Command Headquarters, TaipeiFour commands (Air Combat; Education, Training and Doctrine; Maintenance and Support; Air Defense and Missile) sit under it
- Commandant
- Gen. Cheng Jung-fengFormerly Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff of the Air Force; appointment date not confirmed on an official page
- Territory defended
- Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and MatsuThe islands the ROC government administers. The People’s Republic of China claims Taiwan; its Taiwan Affairs Office calls US descriptions of a PRC military threat to Taiwan “a complete distortion of the facts”
Kracht
- Personeel
- About 35,000Wikipedia’s figure for 2023, with about 90,000 reservists; not confirmed on an official page
- Vechters
-
- F-16V (upgraded F-16A/B Block 20) — 138–139
- AIDC F-CK-1C/D Ching-kuo — about 129
- Mirage 2000-5EI/DI — 52–54
Taiwan News counts 140 F-16s upgraded by 2023, one lost in January 2026; Wikipedia’s inventory gives 138. Mirage: 54 per Taiwan News in September 2025, 53 per the same paper in June 2026, 52 per Wikipedia. The 66 new F-16 Block 70s were still arriving in September 2026
- Ondersteunende vliegtuigen
-
- E-2K Hawkeye — 6
- C-130H Hercules — 19, plus one C-130HE electronic warfare aircraft
- P-3C Orion — 12
- VIP and utility: one Boeing 737-800, three Fokker 50, two Beech 1900C
Counts from Wikipedia’s equipment list; the air force site lists the types but not the numbers. Wikipedia’s P-3 article places the P-3C with the navy; the air force site lists it among its own aircraft
- Trainers
-
- AIDC T-5 Brave Eagle — 65 (66 built, one lost in 2025)
- Beechcraft T-34C — 34–49
The T-34C figure differs: 49 per Taiwan News in June 2026, 34 per Wikipedia. The AT-3 has been retired
- Helikopters
-
- UH-60M Black Hawk — 14
- EC225 Super Puma — 3
- S-70C-6 — 2
All with the Air Rescue Group; counts from Wikipedia
- Drones
- MQ-9B SkyGuardian — 2 of 4First two in flight tests at Hualien from 14 September 2026; two more due in 2027
- Defensiebudget
- Over NT$1.3 trillion proposed for 2027President Lai Ching-te’s figure for the whole proposed 2027 defence budget, not the air force alone
Infrastructuur
- Gevechtsvleugels
-
- 1st Tactical Fighter Wing — Tainan, Ching-kuo
- 2nd Tactical Fighter Wing — Hsinchu, Mirage 2000-5
- 3rd Tactical Fighter Wing — Ching Chuan Kang (Taichung), Ching-kuo
- 4th Tactical Fighter Wing — Chiayi, F-16V
- 5th Tactical Composite Wing — Hualien, F-16V
- 6th Composite Wing — Pingtung, E-2K and C-130
- 7th Tactical Fighter Wing — Chihhang (Taitung)
- Songshan Air Base Command — Taipei, VIP transport
Wing names from the air force site; bases and types from Wikipedia and Taiwan News
- Flight training
- Gangshan, KaohsiungAir Force Academy and Flight Training Command; T-34C and T-5
- Versterkte schuilplaatsen
- 26 more planned, 2027–203122 at Hualien and four at Taitung for NT$6.88 billion, plus five hangars for transport aircraft at Hualien, per the Liberty Times as reported by Taiwan News
- Displayteam
- Thunder TigersFounded in 1953; changed from the AT-3 to the T-5 in late July 2025, its sixth aircraft type
- Luchtverdediging
- Air Defense and Missile CommandOne of the four commands under Air Force headquarters
How the Republic of China Air Force is organised
One Air Force Command Headquarters in Taipei over four commands and seven wings, defending the islands the ROC government administers — Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu. The F-16V flies from Chiayi and Hualien, the Mirage 2000-5 from Hsinchu and the Ching-kuo from Tainan and Ching Chuan Kang; Chihhang trains on the T-5 and is to take the new F-16 Block 70s. The People’s Republic of China claims Taiwan, and Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense reports PLA aircraft around the island every day.
Air Force Command Headquarters
In Taipei, under the Ministry of National Defense, Minister Wellington Koo. The official profile names Gen. Cheng Jung-feng, formerly Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff of the Air Force, as commander; the date he took office was not confirmed. Four commands sit under it: Air Combat; Education, Training and Doctrine; Maintenance and Support; and Air Defense and Missile.
4th and 5th Tactical Fighter Wings
Taiwan’s two F-16V wings, with 138–139 upgraded F-16s between them: the 4th at Chiayi, with the 21st, 22nd and 23rd Squadrons, became the first F-16V combat wing on 18 November 2021; the 5th Tactical Composite Wing at Hualien has hangars cut into the mountain at Chiashan.
2nd Tactical Fighter Wing
Taiwan’s only Mirage 2000-5 wing, at Hsinchu since 1997 with the 41st and 42nd Squadrons and responsible for the north of the island. 53 of the 60 Mirages bought remained in June 2026, when a five-year support contract was signed with Dassault; no successor has been chosen.
1st and 3rd Tactical Fighter Wings
The Ching-kuo wings, at Tainan and at Ching Chuan Kang in Taichung, flying the AIDC F-CK-1 that Taiwan built after the United States would not sell it the F-20 or the F-16. English Wikipedia lists a Ching-kuo detachment at Makung in the Penghu Islands.
7th Tactical Fighter Wing
Lead-in fighter training on the T-5 Brave Eagle at Chihhang, chosen as the primary home of the 66 new F-16 Block 70s; the first two left the United States for Chihhang on 17 August 2026, with the programme running two years late.
6th Composite Wing and Air Rescue Group
E-2K Hawkeye early warning aircraft, C-130H transports and the C-130HE electronic warfare aircraft at Pingtung; the Air Rescue Group’s UH-60M, EC225 and S-70C helicopters fly mountain, sea and night rescues from Chiayi.
Air Force Academy and Flight Training Command
Basic and advanced flight training on the T-34C and the T-5 at Gangshan, where the academy has been since 1949; also home of the Thunder Tigers display team, on the T-5 since July 2025.
Songshan Air Base Command
Presidential and VIP flights from Taipei Songshan Airport with a Boeing 737-800, Fokker 50s and Beech 1900s.
Air Defense and Missile Command
One of the four commands under Air Force Command Headquarters.
What the Republic of China Air Force flies today
Elk type is gekoppeld aan de bijbehorende pagina in het Boek der Beesten, indien aanwezig. Het aantal vliegtuigen betreft de geregistreerde vliegtuigen, niet de vliegtuigen die op een bepaalde dag beschikbaar zijn.
| Type | Rol | In dienst | Sinds | Eenheden | Notities | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Dynamics / Lockheed Martin F-16V (F-16A/B Block 20 upgraded)In dienst | Multifunctionele gevechtsvliegtuig | — | 1997 | — | 138–139. 150 F-16A/Bs were bought in 1992; Taiwan News counts 11 lost in accidents up to January 2026 and 140 upgraded to F-16V by 2023, leaving 139 after the loss of 6700 on 7 January 2026.
MeerWikipedia’s inventory gives 111 single-seat and 27 two-seat (138). |
|
| Dassault Mirage 2000-5EI and 2000-5DIIn dienst | Onderschepper | — | 1997 | — | 52–54 of 60 delivered. Taiwan News gave 54 (six lost in accidents) in September 2025 and 53 in June 2026; Wikipedia lists 43 single-seat and 9 two-seat (52). | |
| AIDC F-CK-1C/D Ching-kuo (Indigenous Defense Fighter)In dienst | Multifunctionele gevechtsvliegtuig | 129 | 1992 | — | 129 per Wikipedia (103 single-seat, 26 two-seat); 131 production aircraft were built plus six prototypes. | |
| AIDC T-5 Brave EagleIn dienst | Advanced jet trainer and display aircraft | 65 | 2021 | — | 66 built, the last delivered on 20 September 2026; aircraft 1130 was lost on 15 February 2025. | |
| Beechcraft T-34C Turbo MentorIn dienst | Hoofdtrainer | — | 1984 | — | 34–49: Taiwan News reported 49 in June 2026; Wikipedia lists 34. | |
| Northrop Grumman E-2K HawkeyeIn dienst | Luchtwaarschuwing | 6 | 1995 | — | Six per Wikipedia: four E-2Ts delivered in 1995 and upgraded to E-2K in 2010–2013, plus two new E-2Ks in 2006. | |
| Lockheed C-130H and C-130HE HerculesIn dienst | Tactical transport and electronic warfare | 20 | — | 19 C-130H and one C-130HE per Wikipedia; not confirmed on an official page. | ||
| Lockheed P-3C OrionIn dienst | Anti-submarine and maritime patrol | 12 | 2013 | — | 12 ordered in 2007 (Wikipedia). | |
| Boeing 737-800, Fokker 50 and Beechcraft 1900CIn dienst | VIP transport and liaison | 6 | — | One Boeing 737-800, three Fokker 50 and two Beech 1900C per Wikipedia. | ||
| Sikorsky UH-60M Black HawkIn dienst | Zoek- en reddingshelikopter en hulphelikopter | 14 | 2017 | — | 14 volgens Wikipedia. | |
| Sikorsky S-70C-6 (Seagull)In dienst | Maritieme zoek- en reddingshelikopter | 2 | 1996 | — | Two per Wikipedia; the original number bought was not confirmed. | |
| Airbus Helicopters EC225 Super PumaIn dienst | Zoek- en reddingshelikopter | 3 | 2011 | — | Three per Wikipedia. | |
| General Atomics MQ-9B SkyGuardianIn dienst | Long-range surveillance drone | 2 | 2026 | — | Two of four delivered; handed over in the US in March 2026, flight tests at Hualien from 14 September 2026. |
Op bestelling
| Type | Besteld | Eerste levering | Notities | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lockheed Martin F-16C/D Block 70 (F-16V)Op bestelling | 66 | 2025 | 66 ordered in 2019 (56 single-seat and 10 two-seat per Wikipedia) under the Feng Hsiang project, funded at NT$247.23 billion for 2020–2026.
MeerThe first was delivered in the United States on 29 March 2025; the first two to fly to Taiwan (6727 and 6728) left the US on 17 August 2026 for Chihhang Air Base in Taitung but had not arrived by early September. Defence Minister Wellington Koo said in October 2025 that finishing all 66 in 2026 would be difficult; the rest are now expected in 2027 and 2028. |
|
| General Atomics MQ-9B SkyGuardianOp bestelling | 2 | 2026 | Two of four delivered; the other two are due in 2027. The four with ground equipment cost NT$21.7 billion. | |
| New basic trainer (T-34C replacement)Op bestelling | — | Not yet ordered: Defence Minister Wellington Koo said in June 2026 the military would buy new trainers in 2028 if the budget is approved; the proposal is to be finalised by May 2027.
MeerType and number not published. |
Every type the Republic of China Air Force has retired
22 types, from the Polikarpov I-15 and I-16 to the AIDC AT-3 Tzu Chung. De piekcijfers hebben betrekking op het aantal vliegtuigen dat gedurende de gehele levensduur in gebruik is genomen, niet op de vlootsterkte op een bepaalde datum.
| Type | Rol | Piek | Geserveerd | Vervangen door | Notities | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AIDC AT-3 Tzu Chung | Geavanceerde straaljager voor training en lichte aanvalsvliegtuigen | — | 1985–2026 | T-5 Brave Eagle | Number built not confirmed in the sources checked. | |
| Northrop F-5A/B, F-5E/F Tiger II and RF-5E Tigergazer | Fighter, trainer and reconnaissance | — | 1965–2025 | T-5 (training), RF-16 (reconnaissance) | 72 F-5A and 11 F-5B by 1971; AIDC licence-built 242 F-5E and 66 F-5F by 1986, and at the peak 336 E/F were in service (Wikipedia). Seven F-5Es became RF-5Es. | |
| Lockheed F-104A/B/D/G/J/DJ, RF-104G and TF-104G Starfighter | Onderscheppingsvliegtuig en verkenningsvliegtuig | — | — | F-16, Mirage 2000-5, F-CK-1 | 282 funded by US military aid, plus transfers: 23 from Belgium, 18 from Denmark (1987) and 36 from Japan (Wikipedia operators list). Totals may overlap and are not added here. | |
| North American F-100A/F and RF-100A Super Sabre | Jachtbommenwerper | — | 1958–1988 | — | About 137: Wikipedia gives 119 F-100A, 4 RF-100A and 14 F-100F. | |
| Lockheed U-2 | Verkenning op grote hoogte | — | 1961–1974 | — | Aircraft were provided under a joint programme with the CIA; five were shot down and seven lost in training (Wikipedia). | |
| Black Bat Squadron types: B-17G, B-26/A-26, RB-69A, C-54, C-123B/K, C-130E, P-3A | Covert electronic intelligence and agent drops | — | 1953–1969 | — | Wikipedia (after Pocock) lists 7 RB-69A, 11 C-123B/K and 3 P-3A among others; totals not confirmed. | |
| Curtiss P-40 (American Volunteer Group) | Vechter | — | 1941–1942 | — | AVG strength peaked at 62 combat-ready pilots and fighters (Wikipedia). | |
| North American F-86F, RF-86F and F-86D Sabre | Dagjager en onderscheppingsvliegtuig voor alle weersomstandigheden | 345 | 1954– | — | 320 F-86F, 7 RF-86F and 18 F-86D per Wikipedia; some F-86Ds were returned to the US. | |
| Republic F-84G Thunderjet | Jachtbommenwerper | — | 1954– | — | Aantal niet bevestigd. | |
| Lockheed T-33A | Straaltrainer | — | 1954– | — | Aantal niet bevestigd. | |
| Republic F-47D/N Thunderbolt | Jachtbommenwerper | — | — | F-84G | Aantal niet bevestigd. | |
| North American P-51/F-51D Mustang | Jachtbommenwerper | — | — | — | Aantal niet bevestigd. | |
| McDonnell RF-101C Voodoo | Verkenning | — | — | — | Aantal niet bevestigd. | |
| Grumman S-2 Tracker | Anti-submarine patrol | — | — | — | Aantal niet bevestigd. | |
| North American T-28 Trojan | Trainer | — | — | — | Aantal niet bevestigd. | |
| Curtiss C-46, Douglas C-47 and Fairchild C-119 | Vervoer | — | — | C-130H | Cijfers niet bevestigd. | |
| Nakajima Ki-43-II Hayabusa | Vechter | — | — | — | Aantal niet bevestigd. | |
| Polikarpov I-15 and I-16 | Vechter | — | 1937– | — | Cijfers niet bevestigd. | |
| Boeing P-26 | Vechter | — | — | — | Aantal niet bevestigd. | |
| Curtiss Hawk II and Hawk III | Vechter | — | — | — | Cijfers niet bevestigd. | |
| Fiat CR.32 | Vechter | — | — | — | Aantal niet bevestigd. | |
| Heinkel He 111, Northrop Gamma and Curtiss A-12 Shrike | Bommenwerper en aanval | — | — | — | Cijfers niet bevestigd. |
Where the Republic of China Air Force flies from
Zwarte pinnen geven actieve bases aan, holle pinnen de vliegvelden die gesloten zijn. The fighter bases are all on Taiwan itself, with a Ching-kuo detachment at Makung in the Penghu Islands in the Taiwan Strait; Taoyuan, the Black Cat U-2 base of 1961–1974, closed in 2013. Hualien and Chihhang, on the east coast, are to get 26 new hardened shelters between 2027 and 2031. Entries with no published aerodrome data carry no pin.
| Baseren | ICAO | Status | Startbaan | Eenheden en vliegtuigen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChiayiProvincie Chiayi | RCKU | Actief | 18R/36L3.050 m18L/36R1.618 m |
|
| ChihhangTaitung County | Actief | — |
|
|
| Ching Chuan KangTaichung City | RCMQ | Actief | 18/363,659 mconcreet |
|
| GangshanLuchtmachtacademieKaohsiung City, Gangshan District | Actief | — |
|
|
| HsinchuHsinchu City, North District | RCPO | Actief | — |
|
| HualienChiashanHualien County, Xincheng Township | RCYU | Actief | 03/212.750 mconcreet |
|
| MakungPenghuPenghu County, Huxi Township | RCQC | Actief | 02/203.000 mconcreet |
|
| PingtungPingtung County | RCSQ | Actief | 08/262.438 m |
|
| SongshanTaipeiTaipei City, Songshan District | RCSS | Actief | — |
|
| TainanTainan City | RCNN | Actief | 18L/36R3.050 mconcreet18R/36L3.050 mconcreet |
|
| TaoyuanTaoyuan City | RCGM | Gesloten in 2013. | 05/233,061 mbeton en asfalt |
|
Geen enkele luchtmachtbasis voldoet aan die zoekopdracht.
Who is stationed where in the Republic of China Air Force
Vliegende eenheden per basis, met de huidige eenheden eerst. ROCAF wings carry two numbers, a traditional one and a three-digit one — the 4th Tactical Fighter Wing is also the 455th — and most trace their history to groups formed on the mainland in the 1930s. American units that flew from Taiwanese bases until 1979 are listed too, each marked as such, and where a squadron rests on English Wikipedia alone, the entry says so.
- 5th Tactical Composite Wing (401st Tactical Composite Wing)Fighter and reconnaissance wing · active
- F-16V (verbeterde F-16A/B Block 20), RF-16
- 17th Tactical Fighter SquadronFighter squadron (aggressor role in exercises) · active
- F-16V
- MQ-9B SkyGuardian test detachmentSurveillance drone · active
- MQ-9B SkyGuardian
- 5th Wing F-5 and RF-5E element—
- RF-5E Tigereye, F-5F Tiger II
- 2nd Tactical Fighter Wing (499th Tactical Fighter Wing)Jachtvleugel · actief
- Mirage 2000-5EI/DI
- 41st Tactical Fighter SquadronJachtvliegtuigeskader · actief
- Mirage 2000-5
- 42nd Tactical Fighter SquadronJachtvliegtuigeskader · actief
- Mirage 2000-5
- 48th SquadronJachtvliegtuigeskader · actief
- Mirage 2000-5
- 2nd Wing, earlier equipment1953–1997
- P-47 Thunderbolt, F-86F and F-86D Sabre, F-100 Super Sabre, F-104 Starfighter
- 34th Squadron (Black Bat Squadron)1953–1972
- B-17G, B-26/A-26, RB-69A (P2V-7U), C-54, C-123B/K, C-130E, P-3A
- 26th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (US Air Force)1958–1958
- —
- 4e tactische gevechtsvleugel (455e tactische gevechtsvleugel)Jachtvleugel · actief
- F-16V (verbeterde F-16A/B Block 20)
- 21e Tactische JachtvliegtuigeskaderJachtvliegtuigeskader · actief
- F-16V
- 22e tactische jachtvliegtuigeskaderJachtvliegtuigeskader · actief
- F-16V
- 23e Tactische JachtvliegtuigeskaderJachtvliegtuigeskader · actief
- F-16V
- LuchtreddingsgroepZoek- en reddingshelikopters · actief
- S-70C-6, UH-60M Black Hawk, EC225 Super Puma
- 4e Wing, oudere uitrusting1948–1997
- F-84G Thunderjet en latere typen
- Roulerende gevechtsvliegtuigeskaders van de Amerikaanse luchtmacht1955–1968
- —
- 3rd Tactical Fighter Wing (427th Tactical Fighter Wing)Jachtvleugel · actief
- AIDC F-CK-1C/D Ching-kuo
- US Air Force units (including 44th and 67th Tactical Fighter Squadrons)1958–1979
- F-4 Phantom II, KC-135
- 1st Tactical Fighter Wing (443rd Tactical Fighter Wing)Jachtvleugel · actief
- AIDC F-CK-1C/D Ching-kuo
- Thunder Tigers display team (origin)1954–
- F-84G
- 868th Tactical Missile Squadron (US Air Force)1958–1962
- TM-61 Matador
- 6th Composite Wing (439th Composite Wing)Transport, early warning and electronic warfare wing · active
- C-130H and C-130HE Hercules, E-2K Hawkeye
- 6th Wing, earlier equipment1954–1999
- C-46, C-119, C-123, S-2A/E/T Tracker
- 7th Tactical Fighter Wing (737th Tactical Fighter Wing)Gevechtstrainingsvleugel · actief
- AIDC T-5 Brave Eagle
- F-16 Block 70 units (forming)Jachtvliegtuigeskaders · actief
- F-16C/D Block 70
- Ching-kuo detachmentFighter detachment · active
- AIDC F-CK-1 Ching-kuo
- Songshan Air Base CommandVIP and special mission transport · active
- Boeing 737-800, Fokker 50, Beechcraft 1900
- Air Force Academy and Flight Training CommandFlight training · active
- Beechcraft T-34C Turbo Mentor, AIDC T-5 Brave Eagle
- Thunder Tigers aerobatic teamTeam weergeven · actief
- AIDC T-5 Brave Eagle
Geen enkel apparaat voldoet aan die zoekopdracht.
Republic of China Air Force milestones, 1914 to today
29 November: Sun Yat-sen creates an aviation department in Guangdong, the date the ROCAF counts as its founding.
Chiang Kai-shek founds the Central Aviation Academy at Hangzhou, after starting an aviation class in Nanjing in 1929.
August: air battles over Jianqiao and Nanjing open the war with Japan; Soviet I-15s, I-16s and volunteer crews follow under the Sino-Soviet pact.
20 December: the American Volunteer Group, flying P-40s as part of the Chinese Air Force, fights its first combat.
An Air Force Command Headquarters is formed; General Zhou Zhirou is its first commander, from 1 June 1946.
The air force withdraws to Taiwan; its P-51s support the defence of Kinmen at Kuningtou in October.
The 34th Squadron, the Black Bats, forms at Hsinchu; the Thunder Tigers display team is founded.
The first US jets arrive: T-33As and F-84Gs, then 320 F-86F Sabres from December 1954 to June 1956.
24 September: ROC F-86s score the first air-to-air missile kills with AIM-9 Sidewinders; the ROCAF claims a 31:1 score over the Taiwan Strait.
The 35th Squadron, the Black Cats, forms at Taoyuan to fly U-2s over the mainland.
9 December: the first F-5A is delivered, beginning 60 years of F-5 service.
13 January: four F-104Gs fight MiG-19s near Kinmen, claiming two for one F-104 lost. November: a C-123 detachment begins flying in Vietnam.
24 May: the last Black Cat U-2 mission. 6 December: AIDC completes the first licence-built F-5E.
28 May: first flight of the AIDC F-CK-1 Ching-kuo, which enters service in 1992.
Taiwan buys 150 F-16A/Bs from the United States and orders 60 Mirage 2000-5s from France; both enter service in 1997.
The Phoenix Rising upgrade of the F-16A/B fleet to F-16V standard is completed; the F-5E is retired in November.
15 February: a T-5 is lost off Taitung, the pilot ejects. 29 March: first F-16 Block 70 delivered in the US. July: last F-5F and RF-5E flights. 29–30 December: PLA drill Justice Mission 2025.
7 January: F-16V 6700 lost off Hualien. 17 August: the first two Block 70s leave the US. 14 September: MQ-9B flight tests at Hualien. 20 September: the 66th T-5 is delivered.
Every war the Republic of China Air Force has fought
Uitvallen en verliezen waar de gegevens die vermelden, en een eerlijke blanco waar die ontbreken.
- Second Sino-Japanese War 1937–1945 Defended Chinese cities and supported the army against Japanese invasion, first with its own pilots and later with Soviet volunteers, the American Volunteer Group and the Chinese-American Composite Wing
- Chinese Civil War 1946–1949 Supported Nationalist ground forces; after the defeat on the mainland, helped hold Kinmen
- Second Taiwan Strait Crisis 1958 Fought PLA Air Force MiG-15s and MiG-17s over the strait while the PLA shelled Kinmen
- Cross-strait air battles 1949–1967 Flew patrols, strikes and reconnaissance along the mainland coast and fought PLA Air Force fighters
- Reconnaissance over the mainland 1953–1974 Flew covert electronic intelligence, agent-drop and high-altitude photographic missions over the mainland in joint programmes with the CIA
Republic of China Air Force news from Afterburner
Everything MiGFlug’s magazine has published on the Republic of China Air Force and the aircraft it flies. Deze lijst wordt automatisch vernieuwd — nieuwe Afterburner-verhalen verschijnen hier automatisch.
Everything people ask about the Republic of China Air Force
What is the Republic of China Air Force called in Chinese?
What fighter jets does Taiwan’s air force fly?
When will Taiwan get its new F-16 Block 70s?
Did Taiwan score the first air-to-air missile kill?
What were the Black Cat and Black Bat squadrons?
Why did Taiwan build its own fighter, the Ching-kuo?
Has Taiwan retired the F-5?
What is the T-5 Brave Eagle?
How many Chinese military aircraft enter Taiwan’s ADIZ?
Does Taiwan fly the MQ-9B drone?
Read the aircraft the Republic of China Air Force flew
Elk type met een pagina in het Boek der Dieren, eerst op basis van de periode dat het in dienst was, daarna op basis van het jaar waarin het de vloot verliet.
Alle feiten gecontroleerd
- ROC Air Force Command Headquarters (English home page)Commands: Air Combat; Education, Training and Doctrine; Maintenance and Support; Air Defense and Missile. Songshan AB Command and 1st–7th Wings.
- ROCAF: History of ROCAFSun Yat-sen and the 1924 academy; Nanjing aviation class 1929; Central Aviation Academy 1931; Jianqiao and Nanjing 1937, Wuhan 1938; 1958 score of 31:1; AT-3, IDF, Mirage 2000-5, F-16, E-2T.
- ROCAF: 司令介紹 (Commander profile)General Cheng Jung-feng; earlier Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff; page updated 4 February 2026.
- ROCAF: 歷任(總)司令 (Past commanders)First commander Zhou Zhirou, 1 June 1946 to 14 March 1952; list of commanders to 1995 on the first page.
- ROC Ministry of National Defense (English site)Minister Wellington Koo; Chief of the General Staff Adm. Mei Chia-shu; Air Force Command Chief Gen. Cheng Jung-feng.
- ROCAF: Combatant Wing unitsSongshan AB Command; 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th Tactical Fighter Wings; 5th Tactical Composite Wing; 6th Composite Wing; 7th Tactical Fighter Wing.
- ROCAF: M2000-5ROCAF first operator of the Mirage 2000-5, in service from 1997.
- ROCAF: F-16 BLK20In service since 1997; Phoenix Rising upgrade 2012–2023 to F-16V.
- ROCAF: IDFEntered service 1992; Hsiang Chan upgrade 2010–2018; five-minute scramble.
- ROCAF: T-34First delivered 1984; primary trainer of the Flight Training Command.
- ROCAF: AJT (AIDC T-5 Brave Eagle)Delivered from 2021; replacing the AT-3 and F-5 trainers; Thunder Tigers aircraft.
- ROCAF: AT-3First delivered 1985; advanced trainer and Thunder Tigers aircraft for over 40 years.
- ROCAF: P-3CIntroduced into the ROCAF in 2013.
- ROCAF: E-2KE-2T delivered 1995 (upgraded 2004 per the page), E-2K delivered 2006.
- ROCAF: C-130Transport workhorse; C-130HE delivered 1995, the only EW aircraft.
- ROCAF: S-70C-6First delivered 1996; maritime search and rescue.
- ROCAF: UH-60MFirst delivered 2017; Air Rescue Group.
- ROCAF: EC225First delivered 2011; night, mountain and sea rescue.
- Taiwan News: Taiwan’s new F-16Vs are built, not ready (7 September 2026)66 Block 70s contracted 2019; 6727 and 6728 left the US 17 August 2026; Koo in October 2025; remaining deliveries 2027–2028.
- Taiwan News: Taiwan’s first F-16V Block 70 jets reach Guam (25 August 2026)Feng Hsiang project NT$247.23 billion 2020–2026; destination Chihhang.
- Taiwan News: Taiwan Air Force to build 26 hardened aircraft shelters (8 September 2026)22 shelters at Hualien, 4 at Taitung, NT$6.88 billion, 2027–2031; 5th Wing at Hualien; Block 70s at Chihhang.
- Taiwan News: Taiwan continues search for F-16 pilot citing possible computer malfunction (8 January 2026)F-16V 6700 lost 7 January 2026 off Hualien; 11 F-16s lost since the 1992 purchase of 150.
- Taiwan News: Lai honors Taiwan Air Force pilot killed in F-16V crash (20 July 2026)Hsin Po-yi posthumously promoted major; weather and sea conditions cited.
- Taiwan News: Taiwan’s last F-5 fighter jets retired after final flight (4 July 2025)Three RF-5E and two F-5F; Hualien, 5th Wing; first F-5A 9 December 1965; first local F-5E 6 December 1974.
- Taiwan News: Taiwan completes production of 66 Brave Eagle jet trainers (20 September 2026)Final T-5 delivered; AT-3 officially retired at end of July; users Gangshan, Chihhang, Thunder Tigers.
- Taiwan News: Taiwan Air Force receives 56 Brave Eagle trainers (4 May 2026)56 delivered; aircraft 1130 lost, 65 effective.
- Taiwan News: Taiwan Air Force enlists private company to search for crashed Brave Eagle (22 February 2025)Crash off Taitung; pilot Lin Wei survived; 40 delivered aircraft grounded.
- Taiwan News: Taiwan plans new trainer aircraft purchase for 2028 (8 June 2026)49 T-34Cs; replacement in 2028 if funded.
- Taiwan News: Taiwan’s first MQ-9B drones conduct Hualien flight tests (14 September 2026)Four MQ-9Bs for NT$21.7 billion; two delivered; two due 2027.
- Taiwan News: Taiwan Air Force eyes Teng Yun 2 long-range drone (20 July 2026)Teng Yun 2 under review; MQ-9B deliveries 2026–2027.
- Taiwan News: Taiwan tracks 13 Chinese ships, 3 military aircraft (30 August 2026)167 Chinese military aircraft and 377 ships tracked in August 2026 per MND reports.
- Taiwan News: Xi claims unification of Taiwan inevitable (1 January 2025)2,866 PLA aircraft in Taiwan’s ADIZ January–November 2024 per CSIS ChinaPower; Xi’s New Year statement.
- Taiwan News: China carried out dangerous maneuvers against Taiwan jet fighters in December drills (10 February 2026)Financial Times report: J-16 flares and positioning behind an F-16 during Justice Mission 2025; PRC embassy statement.
- Taiwan News: Taiwan Air Force signs Mirage 2000 maintenance contract (2 June 2026)NT$926.47 million five-year Dassault contract at Hsinchu; 53 of 60 in service.
- Taiwan News: Taiwan may replace aging Mirage fleet with Rafale jets (27 September 2025)54 of 60 in service, six lost; Dassault CEO Eric Trappier: Mirage 2000 at the end of its life.
- Taiwan News: Taiwan fits F-16 jets with automatic collision avoidance systems (10 December 2025)140 F-16A/Bs upgraded to F-16V by 2023; Auto-GCAS retrofit by 2028.
- Taiwan News: Taiwan IDF jet fires Hsiung Feng III missile during test (1 July 2026)IDF launch from Chihhang; earlier test December 2025.
- Taiwan News: Leader of Taiwan’s historic Black Bat squadron passes away (13 July 2020)Formed 1953 at Hsinchu; more than 800 missions; about 148 lost; Chao Chin died 12 July 2020.
- Taiwan News: Photo of the Day: Taiwan Air Force marks 100 year anniversary (30 November 2020)Founding 29 November 1920 in Guangdong; 1958 kill ratio of 31:1.
- Taiwan News: Taiwan’s Thunder Tiger Aerobatics Team transitions to Brave Eagle jets (28 July 2025)Team founded 1953; T-5 its sixth type; handover at Gangshan.
- Taiwan News: Taiwan Air Force graduates first pilots trained solely on Brave Eagle jet (26 August 2025)T-34 to T-5 pipeline; AT-3 dropped from training.
- Taiwan News: China denies US claims it is military threat to Taiwan (15 April 2026)Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson Chen Binhua.
- Taiwan News: Lai touts economy at World Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce event (24 September 2026)Proposed 2027 defence budget over NT$1.3 trillion, per President Lai.
- CSIS ChinaPower: Tracking the Fourth Taiwan Strait CrisisDaily PLA ADIZ counts from Taiwan MND, August 2022; earlier record of 56 aircraft on 4 October 2021.
- ROCAF: History of the 1st Tactical Fighter WingHankou 1945, Tainan 1953, Thunder Tigers 14 August 1954, F-84G to IDF, IDF MLU 2011.
- ROCAF: History of the 2nd Tactical Fighter WingFormed at Hsinchu 8 January 1953; Sidewinder battle 24 September 1958 (nine destroyed, three damaged); Mirage 2000 from May 1997; 41st and 42nd Squadrons 2004; Taoyuan 2005–2007.
- ROCAF: History of the 3rd Tactical Fighter WingPingtung 1953, CCK 1959, IDF squadrons 1994–1997; MiG-19 battle dated 1957 on this page.
- ROCAF: Geschiedenis van de 4e Tactische JachtvleugelHangzhou 16 oktober 1936; Chiayi december 1948; 4e Wing 14 januari 1953; F-84G geclaimd op 21 juli 1956; F-16 vanaf 4 oktober 1997; 21e–23e Squadrons.
- ROCAF: History of the 5th Tactical Composite WingJianqiao 1936; Taiwan 1948; 401st Wing 1976; Taoyuan to Hualien 1998 with F-16s; groups dissolved 31 October 2004.
- ROCAF: History of the 6th Composite WingShuinan 1954; Pingtung November 1959; C-130 1986; E-2T and C-130HE 1995; E-2K 2006.
- ROCAF: History of the 7th Tactical Fighter WingTraining Center 1 April 1972; Taitung Command 1978; 737th Wing; T-33, F-5A/B/E/F.
- ROCAF: History of the Songshan AB CommandSongshan taken over 1 October 1945; Command formed 1 June 1966; presidential aircraft history.
- Hualien Airport (CAA): Airport introductionOfficial: airport established 15 May 1951; first international charters approved 27 April 2001; terminal opened 2004.
- Taipei Times: Untold stories of Black Bat Squadron unveiled in Hsinchu (24 March 2012)Formed 1952 at Taoyuan (Western Enterprise Inc.), Hsinchu 1953, 34th Squadron 1958; 15 aircraft and 148 men lost 1952–1972; five of seven P2V-7U shot down, 68 killed; memorial hall 22 November 2009, about 463 square metres.
- Taiwan News: Taiwan estimates missing F-16 located 1,000 meters under the sea (21 November 2020)Col. Chiang Cheng-chih; take-off from Hualien 17 November 2020.
- Taiwan News: Taiwan quake causes minor damage to F-16 jet (3 April 2024)Boarding ladders toppled at Chiashan; MND says readiness unaffected.
- Taiwan News: Air Force conducts hot refueling drills in east Taiwan (11 July 2025)5th Wing at Chiashan, Han Kuang 41.
- Taiwan News: Taiwan president inspects Han Kuang 40 war games (23 July 2024)Casualty-care drills at Hualien; runway repair at Chiashan.
- Taiwan News: Taiwan, French pilots conduct aerial combat training (3 December 2024)Hsinchu and Chiashan; 17th Squadron as aggressor; six Mirages; about NT$50 million a year.
- Taiwan Nieuws: De 100e gemoderniseerde F-16V-straaljager van Taiwan landt op een luchtmachtbasis (30 december 2022)Geland in Hualien; toestel 141 wordt gemoderniseerd; gestationeerd in Hualien of Chiayi.
- Taiwan News: Taiwan wants to extend life span of French-built Mirage jets by 20 years (1 August 2023)Nine two-seaters; Mirages based at Hsinchu protecting northern Taiwan.
- Taiwan News: Taiwan Mirage 2000 fighter jet crashes off east coast (14 March 2022)Hsinchu jet from Chihhang; pilot rescued; eight Mirage crashes since 1999.
- Taiwan News: Taiwan Air Force Mirage jet loses external fuel tanks (22 February 2023)Hsinchu, 21 February 2023.
- Taiwan Nieuws: De Taiwanese luchtmacht beschouwt zichzelf als een van de 15 sterkste ter wereld (17 november 2021)De eerste F-16V-eskader werd op 18 november 2021 in Chiayi in gebruik genomen; 64 van de 141 toestellen werden gemoderniseerd.
- Taiwan News: President zegt dat F-16V's symbool staan voor het standvastige partnerschap tussen Taiwan en de VS (19 november 2021)Tsai-koers in Chiayi; NT$110 miljard upgrade.
- Taiwan Nieuws: Taiwanese F-16 loopt lichte schade op na incident met landingsgestel (25 september 2021)Chiayi, 23 september 2021.
- Taiwan News: Taiwanese F-16V-straaljagers weer in de lucht na dodelijk ongeluk (20 januari 2022)Kapitein Chen Yi kwam om het leven op 11 januari 2022 ten westen van Chiayi County; de vluchten werden hervat op 20 januari.
- Taiwan Nieuws: Taiwanees leger zoekt naar zwarte doos van neergehaalde F-16V (17 januari 2022)Vliegtuigen van het 4e Wing; berging door middel van baggeren.
- Taiwan Nieuws: Taiwan organiseert open dag op de luchtmachtbasis Chiayi (6 augustus 2024)10 augustus 2024; de volgende in 2027.
- Taiwan Nieuws: Taiwanese luchtmacht test snelle reactie in Chiayi (28 januari 2026)4e Wing en 795e Luchtdoelartilleriebrigade.
Cijfers geverifieerd op 30-09-2026. De pagina's van Order of Battle worden opnieuw gegenereerd vanuit één dataset; als een getal hier niet overeenkomt met een pagina in Book of Beasts, is deze pagina de meest recente van de twee.
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