Taiwan highly vulnerable to Chinese air attack, leaked documents show © I-Hwa Cheng/Bloomberg News
The Guardian: China likely to rapidly achieve air superiority over Taiwan, US leaks say
Documents among those shared by alleged leaker raise questions over island’s military readiness
China would probably establish air superiority very rapidly in any attack on Taiwan, according to leaked US intelligence assessments that raise disturbing questions about the self-ruled island’s military readiness.
The documents, part of a series allegedly leaked by the US air national guardsman Jack Teixeira, emerged as G7 foreign ministers met to discuss a common China strategy and Beijing briefly halted flights over part of the East China Sea on Sunday.
The classified documents seen by the Washington Post reveal that Taiwan’s military leaders doubt their air defences can “accurately detect missile launches” and that only about half of the island’s aircraft are capable of effectively engaging the enemy.
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Update #1: Taiwan highly vulnerable to Chinese air attack, leaked documents show (Washington Post)
Update #2: China would gain swift air superiority over Taiwan, US leaks show (Times of India)
WNU Editor: U.S. concerns over Taiwan's air defenses is nothing new .... U.S. Needs Air Superiority, Ship-Killing Weapons to Defend Taiwan, Pacific Air Forces Commander Says (USNI News).