HSINCHU, TAIWAN — Taiwan showcased rapid runway repair drills on Friday at its closest airbase to mainland China, where the island keeps its main fleet of interceptor fighter jets.
The island’s air force practiced its response to a scenario where Chinese long-range missiles or rockets had already damaged facilities at Hsinchu Air Base.
The drills, part of the annual Han Kuang exercises, included rearming Dassault Mirage 2000-5s, performing emergency takeoffs, and restoring runways.
Ground teams used bulldozers and graders to clear debris and fill a crater in the concrete, after which troops practiced deploying and securing a heavy fiberglass…
