Taiwan's air force is practicing emergency takeoffs to simulate intercepting enemy fighters flying close to the country’s borders as part of drills ahead of Lunar New Year. Military officials have warned local residents of an uptick in fighter jet activity over the next week.
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00:00The Air Force is putting its pilots to the test here in Taichung as part of military
00:05drills ahead of the Lunar New Year.
00:07Pilots in this airbase in central Taiwan have just five minutes to get into their aircraft
00:12and up into the sky.
00:16This exercise practices emergency takeoffs to simulate intercepting enemy fighters flying
00:21close to the country's borders.
00:22The base is home to the largest group of domestically made fighter jets known as the Indigenous
00:27Defense Fighter, or IDF.
00:33Fighters like these are vital to defense as Chinese military aircraft frequently fly
00:38near Taiwan to exert pressure.
00:40Over 3,000 Chinese aircraft were spotted near Taiwan last year, with local pilots often
00:45intercepting them using the IDF.
00:51Even during Tuesday's exercises, Taiwan's defense ministry reported Chinese military
00:56aircraft operating near the country.
01:18Exercises like these will be happening all around Taiwan in the next few days, with more
01:22comprehensive exercises like missile defense scheduled for later this week.
01:26Officials here in Taiwan are warning of an increased level of military activity as they
01:30continue to train how to protect the country.
01:32Fu Hua Hong and Haimei Okon in Taichung for Taiwan Plus.