Taiwan's Security and Air Power: Taiwan's Defense against the Air Threat from Mainland China (Routledgecurzon Security in Asia Series)

Recent concern about mainland China's intentions towards Taiwan, and more general concern about the risk of instability in the region, has led to growing interest in Taiwan's military strategy. This book brings together a range of experts from the West and from Taiwan itself who examine the key issues connected with Taiwan's air power, which is a key aspect of the China-Taiwan military balance. During the 1990s, Taiwan invested considerable resources in thoroughly re-equipping its air force with modern air defence and strike aircraft equipped with modern missiles, thereby denying China command of the air in any conflict in the short- to medium-term. In the longer-term, air power will remain a crucial influence on the overall balance, as China's efforts to upgrade its own air force's capabilities begin to undermine Taiwan's current advantages. "This book brings together a range of experts from the West and from Taiwan itself, who examine the key issues connected with Taiwan's air power, which is a key aspect of the China-Taiwan military balance. During the 1990s, Taiwan invested considerable resources in thoroughly reequipping its air force with modern US and French air defense and strike aircraft equipped with modern guided missiles and American surface-to-air guided missiles, thereby denying China command of the air in any conflict in the short to medium term. These weapons were supplemented with indigenously designed and developed combat aircraft and air defense missiles. In the longer term, air power will remain a crucial influence on the overall balance as China's efforts to upgrade its own Air Force's capabilities begin to undermine Taiwan's current advantages."--BOOK JACKET This volume brings together a range of experts from the West and from Taiwan itself who examine the key issues connected with Taiwan's air power, which is a key aspect of the China-Taiwan military balance.