ABSTRACT
Any point in Taiwan is within 300 kilometers of Mainland China. If a war occurs and Taiwan loses its command of the airspace over the Taiwan Strait, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force (PLAAF) would immediately prevent Taiwan’s Navy from being able to put to sea in safety. Furthermore, the Republic of China (ROC) Army’s attack helicopters would also be pinned down by PLAAF ground attack aircraft and the land battle become another Dunkirk disaster for Taiwan’s troops. Taiwan’s armored tanks and vehicles would be destroyed from the air by China’s aircraft and be unable to give protection to the front line troops. Conversely, should the PLAAF expend time and effort and still be unable to gain air supremacy over the Taiwan Strait, the PLA forces would find it difficult to effectively prepare and bring to bear the necessary fire support for an amphibious landing on the shores of Taiwan. Even though the PLAAF would try to support an amphibious landing and be prepared to accept heavy casualties, the PLA’s ground forces would be held down by Taiwan’s firepower. This would make it very difficult, if not impossible, in such a situation for PLA forces to launch an attack in depth from their beachhead.
