Taiwan is initiating a study to explore the feasibility of launching its fighter aircraft using ski-jumps at its bases.
_1990.JPEG)
By PH3 (AC) Stephen L. Batiz, USN [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Concern that China could destroy its runways with missile strikes during war, Taiwan has always wanted to buy short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) fighters such as the F-35B from the United States. But its request has not been acceded by Washington. Thus the island has decided to explore other options.
During a recent defense conference, Defense Minister Feng Shih-kuan proposed the use of ski-jump technology. The news report by UDN says the ski-jump will be designed to be mobile so that it can be setup rapidly and also covert taxiways into runways. This will make it more difficult for Chinese forces to take out Taiwan’s runways.