Taiwan's Security and Air Power: Taiwan's Defense against the Air Threat from Mainland China (Routledgecurzon Security in Asia Series)

215 Pages·2003·2.52 MB·English

by  Martin Edmonds

Taiwan’s Security and Air Power
Recent concern about Mainland China’s intentions toward Taiwan, and more
general concern about the risk of instability in the region, has led to growing inter-
est in Taiwan’s military strategy. This book brings together a range of experts from
the West and from Taiwan itself, who examine the key issues connected with
Taiwan’s air power, which is a key aspect of the China–Taiwan military balance.
During the 1990s, Taiwan invested considerable resources in thoroughly re-
equipping its air force with modern US and French air defense and strike aircraft
equipped with modern guided missiles and American surface-to-air guided mis-
siles, thereby denying China command of the air in any conflict in the short to
medium term. These weapons were supplemented with indigenously designed and
developed combat aircraft and air defense missiles. In the longer term, air power
will remain a crucial influence on the overall balance as China’s efforts to upgrade
its own Air Force’s capabilities begin to undermine Taiwan’s current advantages.
Martin Edmondsis Professorial Fellow and Director of the Centre for Defence
and International Security Studies at Lancaster University. He is also (founding)
Editor-in-Chief of the international journal, Defence and Security Analysis
(Taylor & Francis) and Co-Director (with Professor Keith Hartley) of the
Lancaster and York Universities’Defence Research Institute.
Michael M.Tsaiis currently the Deputy Taipei Representative in Washington DC
with specific responsibility for Taiwan’s relations with the US Department of
Defense and the US Armed Forces. A member of the DPP, he served as a
Legislator in the Legislative Yuan and also served as adviser to the Organizational
Planning Committee of the Ministry of National Defense. He is the founder
of Taiwan Defense Affairs, and the Institute for Taiwan Defense and Strategic
Studies (ITDSS).
RoutledgeCurzon Security in Asia Series
1 Taiwan’s Security and Air Power
Taiwan’s defense against the air threat from Mainland China
Edited by Martin Edmonds and Michael M. Tsai
Taiwan’s Security and
Air Power
Taiwan’s defense against the air
threat from Mainland China
Edited by Martin Edmonds and
Michael M. Tsai
First published 2004
by RoutledgeCurzon
11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE
Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada
by RoutledgeCurzon
29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001
This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2005.
“To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or Routledge’s
collection of thousands of eBooks please go to www.eBookstore.tandf.co.uk.”
RoutledgeCurzon is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group
© 2004 editorial matter and selection, Martin Edmonds and
Michael M. Tsai; individual chapters, the contributors
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or
reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic,
mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter
invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any
information storage or retrieval system, without permission in
writing from the publishers.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available
from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
A catalog record for this book has been requested
ISBN 0-203-31643-6 Master e-book ISBN
ISBN 0–415–32317–7 (Print edition)
Contents
List of contributors vii
Foreword by Shiah Yng Jou x
Preface by Peter Brookes xiii
Acknowledgments xix
Abbreviations xx
1 Introduction:Taiwan and air power 1
MARTIN EDMONDS AND MICHAEL M. TSAI
PART I
Air power and Taiwan’s security 7
2 Air power and Taiwan’s security 9
MARTIN EDMONDS
3 Ten pointers for Taiwan on contemporary air power 29
GREG MILLS
PART II
The balance of air power over the Taiwan Straits 35
4 The shifting balance of air superiority at the Taiwan Strait
and its implications on Taiwan’s defense planning 37
YORK W. CHEN
5 Command of the air over Taiwan 55
CHIH-HENG YANG AND TZU-YUN SU
PART III
The air threat from Mainland China 71
6 PLA Air Force mobile offensive operations 73
KENNETH W. ALLEN
vi Contents
7 Why a Chinese preemptive strike against Taiwan would fail 89
ROBERT A. PAPE
PART IV
The air defense of Taiwan 103
8 The air battle strategy in Taiwan’s defensive operations 105
CHIH-KUNG YU
9 Joint air and missile defense for Taiwan:implications
for deterrence and defense 116
ERIC A. MCVADON
10 Air base defense:Taiwan’s defensive responses
to China’s missile threat 140
MING-YEN TSAI
PART V
Taiwan’s Air Force and future requirements 153
11 Military culture and air force restructuring 155
CHIEN CHUNG
12 The ROC Air Force after next:a race to embrace the future 163
RICHARD D. FISHER
Index 187
Contributors
Kenneth W. Allen is a Senior Analyst at the CNA Corporation where he is
responsible for analyzing China’s national security issues. Prior to this, he was
a Senior Associate at the Henry L Stimson Center, and Executive Vice
President of the US–Taiwan Business Council. While serving for 21 years in
the USAF, he served for 2 years as an Assistant Air Force Attache at the US
Embassy in Beijing. He holds Bachelors Degrees from the University of
California, Davis, and the University of Maryland, and a Masters Degree from
Boston University in International Relations.
Peter Brookeswas Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific
Affairs in the Office of Secretary for Defense, Donald Rumsfeld. From 1997 to
2001, he was a professional staff member at the US House of Representatives
International Relations Committee. From 1992–1994 he served with the
Central Intelligence Agency’s Directorate of Operations after which he joined a
Washington private technology firm, SAIC. His early career was in the United
States Navy where he served as a naval aviator flying intelligence and recon-
naissance missions. He is a Commander in the US Naval Reserves assigned to
the US Defense Intelligence Agency and is currently Director of the Asian
Studies Center, the Heritage Foundation, in Washington DC.
York W. Chen is the Executive Editor of Taiwan Defense Affairs. He holds a
Master’s Degree from the Graduate Institute of International Affairs, Tam
Kang University, and served as Congressional Assistant to Michael M. Tsai
from 1996 to 1999. He is now a doctoral candidate at the Department of Politics
and International Relations at Lancaster University, UK, studying Taiwan’s mili-
tary strategy and doctrine. He is Research Associate in the Lancaster Centre for
Defence and International Security Studies. His recent publications include (with
Michael Tsai) “Submarines and Taiwan’s Defense,” (2001), Warfare in the
Information Age (2000) and (with Martin Edmonds) “An Assessment of the
ROCN’s Modernization Program: Strategic and Operational Considerations,” in
Taiwan’s Maritime Security(2003).
Chien Chung received his PhD degree in nuclear chemistry from McGill
University, Canada. He is currently a full Professor at the National Tsing Hua
viii Contributors
University, Taiwan. He is also a Professor Emeritus at both the Military
College and the Medical College of the National Defense University, Taiwan.
His recent publication includes “A Review of the ROC’s Military Reform:
A Case Study of the Taiwanese Navy,” in Defending Taiwan(2002).
Martin Edmondsis Professorial Fellow and Director of the Centre for Defence
and International Security Studies at Lancaster University, UK. He is also the
founding Editor-in-Chief of Defence and Security Analysis and a member of
the Editorial Board of Taiwan Defense Affairs. He has published over 150 jour-
nal articles, book chapters and memoranda on a wide variety of defense and
security issues. His most recent books relevant to Taiwan’s security include:
(edited with Greg Mills and Chyungly Lee) New Security Paradigms (2001);
(edited with Greg Mills and Chyungly Lee) Preventing Insecurity: Lessons for
and from East Asia(2003); (edited with Michael M. Tsai) Defending Taiwan:
The Future Vision of Taiwan’s Defence Policy and Military Strategy (2003),
and (edited with Michael M. Tsai) Taiwan’s Maritime Security(2003).
Richard D.Fisheris Adjunct Fellow in Asian Studies at the Center for Security
Policy, Washington DC, before which he was Senior Fellow at the Jamestown
Foundation and before that as Director of the Asian Studies Center at the
Heritage Foundation. His research interests are in China’s military moderniza-
tion and its implications for the United States, Russia, and Taiwan. He holds a
Bachelor’s degree from Eisenhower College, New York City.
Eric A. McVadon retired from the United States Navy with the rank of Rear
Admiral. Until July 1992 he served as Defense and Naval Attache at the US
Embassy in Beijing. Since then he has served as Director of Asia-Pacific
Studies at the Institute of Foreign Policy Analysis in Washington DC. He holds
a Master’s Degree in International Affairs from George Washington
University, and is a graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, the
Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, and the National War College.
Greg Millsis the National Director of the South African Institute of International
Affairs based at Wits University in Johannesburg. He holds a BA degree from
the University of Cape Town, and an MA and PhD from the University of
Lancaster, UK. In addition to being the founding Editor of the South African
Yearbook of International Affairs and Editor of the South African Journal of
International Affairs, he has published over twenty books, the latest of which
have been: The Wired Model: South Africa, Foreign Policy and Globalization
(2001); Poverty to Prosperity: Globalization, Good Governance and African
Recovery(2003); and, with respect to Taiwan, New Security Paradigms(2001)
and Preventing Insecurity in East Asia (2003) (both edited with Martin
Edmonds and Chyungly Lee) (2001).
Robert A. Pape is Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of
Chicago, specializing in international security affairs. Before going to
Chicago, he was on the Faculty of Dartmouth College and also taught at the
Contributors ix
USAF’s School of advanced air power studies. He holds a PhD from the
University of Chicago and a Masters degree from the University of Pittsburgh.
His publications include Bombing to Win: Air Power and Coercion in War
(1996) and “The Determinants of International Moral Action,” in International
Organization (1999). He contributes regularly to the New York Times,
Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and the Boston Globe on international
security issues.
Tzu-Yun Su is the Assistant Editor of Taiwan Defense Affairs. He holds a
Master’s Degree from the Graduate Institute of International Affairs, Tam
Kang University. He is currently Associate Researcher of the Policy Research
and Coordinating Committee of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
Michael M.Tsaiis currently the Deputy Taipei Representative in Washington DC
and publisher of the journal, Taiwan Defense Affairs. He received his MBA
from the University of Wisconsin and JD from the University of California
Western School of Law. Prior to his appointment in Washington, he served as
a Legislator in the Legislative Yuan and was adviser to the Organizational
Research and Planning Committee of the Ministry of National Defense in
Taipei. He was also the Convenor of the Defense Affairs and Policy Research
Committee of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in the Legislative Yuan.
His recent book publications include Defending Taiwan (edited with Martin
Edmonds) (2001) and Taiwan’s Maritime Security (edited with Martin
Edmonds) (2003), and, with York Chen an article on “Submarines and
Taiwan’s Defense,” in Taiwan Defense Affairs(2001).
Ming-Yen Tsaireceived his PhD degree from Department of War Studies, King’s
College, London, UK. He is now Assistant Professor at the Graduate Institute
of International Politics, National Chung Hsin University, Taiwan. His recent
publication includes “PRC–Russia Military Ties: Background, Development,
and the Impact on Taiwan’s Security,” in Taiwan Defense Affairs, 2(3) (2002).
Chih-Heng Yangwas Deputy Director of the Strategic and International Studies
Division, Taiwan Research Institute in Taipei. He received his PhD degree
from the National Taiwan University. His recent publication includes “The
Evolution and Adaptation of Taiwan’s Military Strategy,” in Defending Taiwan
(2002).
Shiah Yng Jou is an Air Force General and the President of the National Defense
University of Taiwan. He was one-time President of the Air Force Academy
and Vice Chief of the General Staff.
Chih-Kung Yuis a Colonel in the ROC Air Force. He is now the Deputy Director
of the Air Force Department, the National Defense University, Taiwan.