Snapshots from the 35th Annual Han Kuang Exercises: The Taiwan Air Force Fighter Aircraft Landed on Freeway
2019.07.19
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By Hsiao-Huang Shu
In May 2019, the Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of China (Taiwan) held the most important annual large-scale military exercise, “Exercise Han Kuang 35” (漢光35號演習), which was conducted in multiple regions in Taiwan, simulating a total invasion of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
In responding to the scenario of a total invasion of the PLA, Taiwanese Armed Forces carried out a strategy of “preserving warfighting capabilities, pursuing decisive victories in the littoral area, and annihilating the enemy in the beach area,” under a comprehensive defense concept. This strategy intends to break up the attacks and block the enemy landing forces through multi-layered interceptions and joint firepower strikes.
In the exercise, the “freeway emergency take-offs and landings” (戰備道起降) could be regarded as one of the most vital components. Without fighter aircraft’s survival under the first strike, the air forces will not be able to implement countermeasures to maintain air superiority against attacks from air and sea. Preserving the capacity of the Taiwan Air Force is therefore essential to the defense of Taiwan.

F-16B fighter aircraft landing on the freeway in central Taiwan. (Source: Hsiao-Huang Shu)
Thanks to dual-use freeways and roads constructed in the twentieth century, the Taiwan Air Force has had routine drills on emergency take-off and landing since years back, along with exercises related to air defense of air bases and rapid runway repair (RRR). The latest resumption of such practice indicates that Taiwan is enhancing its combat readiness to confront a more capable PLA in recent years. So far, there are five contingency runways nationwide, including four on freeways and one on a regular road in Pingtung County in Southern Taiwan.
On May 28, the Taiwan Air Force’s exercises on emergency take-offs and landings took place on the Huatan section in Changhua County in central Taiwan on the main north-south National Freeway No. 1 that runs along the island's west coast. Three main fighter jets and one airborne early warning aircraft in the Taiwan Air Force successfully completed the drill. These were one Mirage 2000-5D from the Hsinchu Air Force Base’s Second Fighter Wing, one F-16B from the Chiayi Air Force Base’s Fifth Fighter Wing, and one F-CK-1D, commonly known as the Indigenous Defense Fighter (IDF), from the Taichung Ching-Chuan-Kang Air Force Base’s Third Fighter Wing. In addition, Pingtung’s Sixth Composite Wing joined with an E-2K airborne early warning aircraft. To protect the runway, two AH-1W attack helicopters and one OH-58D observation helicopter were sent by the Taiwan Army Aviation Special Forces Command. Meanwhile, a CH-47SD transport helicopter executed simulation on equipment and material hanging replenishment toward the runway.

F-16B fighter aircraft with Harpoon anti-ship missiles (AGM-84) taking off on the freeway in central Taiwan. (Source: Hsiao-Huang Shu)
Furthermore, to simulate air defense over the freeway, Patriot II/III and short-range sky-guard system were deployed at two sides of the freeway. Several types of logistic vehicles were standing by at two ends of the freeway for missile and oil supply. Also, a few Cardinal unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) made by Taiwan’s National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) were conducting aeronautical surveillance.

The Taiwan Air Force’s Indigenous Defense Fighter (IDF) taxing on the freeway in central Taiwan. (Source: Hsiao-Huang Shu)
The 2,400-meter-long contingency runway sufficiently served the purposes of take-off (500 meters) and landing-roll (800 meters) distances. As an emergency measure to ensure safety, in addition to navigating equipment, the mobile aircraft arresting system was deployed at the end of the freeway.
Taiwan’s National Highway Police Bureau and National Freeway Bureau assisted in traffic control and sign adjustment for the road closure during the runway operation, which involved multiple military units as well as central and local government departments. President Tsai In-Wen also attended and oversaw the exercise.

E-2K airborne early warning aircraft taxing on the freeway in central Taiwan. (Source: Hsiao-Huang Shu)
The weather forecast earlier for the day was heavy rain in the Changhua area, but luckily the weather remained partly cloudy since the traffic control began the evening before. Around 6:20 am on May 28, the first F-16B landed on the freeway successfully, followed by an IDF, a Mirage 2000-D and an E-2K. While the CH-47SD transport helicopter of the Taiwan Army carried out hanging simulation, AH-1W attack helicopter and OH-58D observation helicopter were patrolling above the runway. Four aircraft then one by one taxied back to the head of the runway for oil and missile supply and took off again at about 7:30 am, completing the entire exercise. The normal traffic resumed around 12pm when the exercise equipment was evacuated.
What was interesting is that, the F-16B numbered 6811 and the F-CK-1D (IDF) numbered 1611, both landed on the Huatan freeway for the first time twelve years ago. For Exercise Han Kuang 35, these two same aircraft landed on the Huatan freeway for the second time. This F-16B has recently completed the APG-83 radar upgrade. Lockheed Martin named the F-16 as F-16V for the same AESA radar upgrade. Taiwan’s upgraded F-16s are currently under system verification.
The PLA lately has been pressuring Taiwan by flying aircraft around Taiwan’s air space. Meanwhile, China’s Eastern Theater has been equipping with J-16 aircraft. It is rumored that J-20 aircraft has also been deployed to the bases in China’s Eastern Theater for testing, exerting increasing pressure on Taiwan’s air defense. Since the functional advancement of F-CK-1(IDF) has been completed, after the upgrading to F-16V, Taiwan’s Air Force will gain a leverage to balance the PLA Air Force, if the U.S. agrees to the arms sales of F-16C/D Block70/72 to Taiwan in the near future.
Dr. Hsiao-Huang Shu is an assistant research fellow in the Division of National Defense Resources and Industries of the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, Taiwan. Dr. Shu holds a PhD degree from the Graduate Institute of International Affairs and Strategic Studies of Tamkang University, Taiwan. This report is translated into English by Oddis Tsai.