Republic of China Air Force

The Republic of China Air Force (ROCAF) is a modern military force structured and organized in a manner similar to the United States Air Force. Its primary mission is to defend the airspace over and around Taiwan. The main operational units consist of six tactical combat aircraft wings, supplemented by transport, anti-submarine, tactical control, communication, and weather forecasting wings. A key component of its structure is the Air Defense and Artillery command, which integrates an extensive network of air defense assets. To enhance survivability, the ROCAF has invested in hardening key facilities and constructing underground hangars to protect its aircraft from missile strikes.

The ROCAF's strategic doctrine is centered on the "Overall Defense Concept," a framework that emphasizes asymmetric warfare, leveraging Taiwan's geographic advantages and civilian infrastructure to deter and defeat a potential invasion. This doctrine moves away from a traditional focus on fighting across the Taiwan Strait to an "offshore engagement" posture, aiming to attrite an invading force before it can reach the island. This strategy prioritizes force preservation through measures such as camouflage, deception, and rapid runway repair. Joint operations with the Army and Navy are integral to this doctrine, reflecting a shift toward a more integrated defense-in-depth.

In recent years, the ROCAF has engaged in frequent scrambling of its fighter jets to intercept People's Liberation Army Air Force aircraft operating in Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone. These encounters test the ROCAF's readiness and resolve, though they have not escalated into direct combat. The loss of an F-16V off Hualien during night training in January 2026 led to a temporary grounding of the fleet pending inspection.

To counter the growing technological disparity with potential adversaries, the ROCAF is undergoing significant modernization. The cornerstone of this effort is the upgrade of 139 existing F-16A/B jets to the F-16V standard and the procurement of 66 new-build F-16 Block 70 aircraft, the first two of which left the United States in August 2026, bound for the 7th Tactical Fighter Wing at Chihhang Air Base in Taitung, after lengthy production delays. This program provides the fleet with advanced AN/APG-83 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, modern mission computers, and compatibility with advanced U.S.-made munitions, including the AIM-120D air-to-air missile and AGM-88 High-Speed Anti-Radiation (HARM) missile. Additionally, Taiwan is developing an indigenous advanced jet trainer to replace its aging F-5 fleet and is in the process of decommissioning older assets to optimize resources for modern systems. These modernization programs, however, have faced delays in the delivery of new equipment.