ABSTRACT
Controlling the airspace over the Taiwan Strait is one of the most important factors in determining the success of any military conflict between Beijing and Taipei. No longer is it simply a matter of which aircraft or pilots are the best at close-in air-to-air combat. Pilots must be able to conduct long-term, sustained 24-hour operations, work from damaged airfields under attack from missiles, and avoid being shot down by enemy and friendly surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) and anti-aircraft artillery (AAA). They must also be able to launch and avoid air-to-air missiles (AAMs) launched from beyond visual range (BVR), employ initiative in the air, and direct and receive ground-based and airborne command and control.
