Taiwan Also Seeing Chinese Balloon Flights: FT 英媒:中軍用氣球平均每月一次 侵台空域

The U.S. and China continue to spar over surveillance balloons. The Financial Times reports that Taiwan has observed dozens of Chinese military balloon flights in its airspace in recent years, with such incursions occurring on average once a month. Taiwan's defence ministry said it has not spotted any surveillance balloons from China in its vicinity. The balloons detected near Taiwan had no steering capability and thus they were unlikely to be used for surveillance purposes.

The Ministry of National Defense said it observed eight Chinese military aircraft and four warships around Taiwan on Feb. 14, including a Harbin Z-9 helicopter in Taiwan's southwest airspace. China is also reportedly using surveillance balloons to harass Taiwan. According to the Financial Times, Taiwan has observed dozens of Chinese military balloon flights in its airspace in recent years, with such incursions occurring on average once a month. They are being used to collect atmospheric data.

Huang Wen-chi, Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, MND: “The Ministry of National Defense has no comment on the Financial Times' report about the dozens of military balloon flights. However, we will respond if anything enters our territory.”

The ministry said the vast majority of the balloons spotted around Taiwan are weather balloons, not military surveillance balloons. It can step up its surveillance. If these balloons approach or enter Taiwan's airspace, will the military shoot them down like the U.S.?

Huang Wen-chi, Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, MND: “If we believe that it poses a serious threat, then of course our response measures will include shooting it down if it enters or approaches our territorial waters.”

The military is upgrading F-16V fighters, and has purchased 40 joint helmet mounted cueing systems from the U.S. The cost of one helmet is NT$12 million. The latest reports indicate the Air Force is conducting tactical testing.

Sun Li-fang, Spokesperson, Ministry of National Defense: “With regards to the helmets, the initial procurement was a small batch. Later on, they will be integrated with the entire project to assess the overall usage efficacy, and then integrated with the schedule of the entire project for analysis and follow-up purchases.”

The helmets are already in the hands of military instructors. They will be used in conjunction with new AIM-9X sidewinder missiles to realize the concept of "if you can see it, you can hit it" and enhance the combat power of F-16Vs.

兩岸維持對峙僵局，國防部14日揭露，共軍派出8架軍機、4艘共艦擾台，其中1架直-9反潛機進入我西南空域，國軍監控應處。而共軍對台威脅不只包含機艦，偵察氣球也被點名是中共犯台手段，英國《金融時報》指出，有數十顆中國軍用氣球近年入侵台灣空域，平均每月1次，蒐集台灣上空大氣資料。

國防部情次室助理次長黃文啓回應：「那國防部這邊對於《金融時報》如何去報導說，這個有關涉到數十枚的軍用氣球這個部分，我們不予評論。但是在這個周邊只要是進到到我們範圍之內，我們都會予以掌握。」

國防部罕見就中國氣球進行大篇幅回應，對於出現在台灣周邊海域絕大多數是氣象探測氣球，而非軍用偵察氣球，國軍在偵蒐範圍內都能加以掌握，也對中國氣球的體積跟是否有偵查功能進行辨別，目前還沒碰到必須要擊落的威脅程度。不過外界關切，若氣球接近或進入台灣領空，國軍是否比照美軍開火？

國防部情次室助理次長黃文啓指出：「如果我們確認這個目標是屬於具有高度威脅的，那我們處置手段當然就包含它在進入或接近我們領海範圍之內加以擊落。」

此外國軍反制共軍威脅，持續升級F-16V戰機，我方向美採購40套聯合頭盔瞄準系統，1頂頭盔要價近1200萬元，現在傳出空軍已投入戰術測試。

國防部發言人孫立方表示：「有關頭盔的部分，初期裁量是做小批量的一個採購，那麼後續他們會結合整個專案，視整個運用一個效益，然後結合整個專案後續的期程來去分析，來去做後續採購。」

這套聯合頭盔瞄準系統目前交由培育種子教官，未來搭配新型的AIM-9X響尾蛇飛彈，實現「看到哪、打到哪」，有望大幅提升F-16V戰力。