Republic of China Air Force
| Republic of China Air Force 中華民國空軍 Zhōnghuá Mínguó Kōngjūn |
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|---|---|
_Logo.svg){kind=logo}
Emblem of the Republic of China Air Force
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| Founded | 1920 |
| Country |
 Taiwan (Republic of China)
|
| Size | 523 aircraft |
| Part of | Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of China |
| Commanders | |
| Commander-General | General Shen Yi-ming |
| Insignia | |
| Roundel |  |
| Low-visibility roundel | _3.svg) |
| Flag |  |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Electronic warfare |
E-2T/C, C-130HE |
| Fighter | F-16A/B Block 20, Mirage-2000-5Di/Ei, F-CK-1A/B/C/D, F-5E/F |
| Helicopter | S-70C-1/1A, S-70C-6 |
| Reconnaissance | RF-5E, RF-16 |
| Trainer | AT-3B, T-34 |
| Transport | C-130H, Fokker 50, Beechcraft B-1900C, Boeing 737-800 |
The Republic of China Air Force (ROCAF; Chinese: 中華民國空軍; pinyin: Zhōnghuá Mínguó Kōngjūn) is the aviation branch of the Taiwanese military. The ROCAF's primary mission is the defense of the airspace over and around Taiwan. Priorities of the ROCAF include the development of long range reconnaissance and surveillance networks, integrating C4ISTAR systems to increase battle effectiveness, procuring counterstrike weapons, next generation fighters, and hardening airfields and other facilities to survive a surprise attack.
In May 2005, the Ministry of National Defense indicated its intention to transfer command of all defensive missile systems to the ROCAF, while future offensive missiles would be placed under a newly formed missile command. As of 2006, all medium and long range SAM units were transferred from ROC Army's Missile Command to ROCAF, while ROCAF's airbase security units were transferred to ROC Army Military Police. But it's revealed in January 2011, 5 years of problems of integrating those long range ex-ROC Army SAM units into ROCAF has forced ROCAF high command to return those units back to ROC Army's Missile Command. Missile Command is now directly under Defense Ministry's GHQ control.
In July 2010, former United States Air Force deputy under secretary for international affairs, Bruce Lemkin said that Taiwan's ability to defend its airspace had degraded due to its aging fighters and that the sale of new fighter aircraft to Taiwan was an urgent priority. On 21 September 2011, it was announced that the US had agreed to a US$5 billion upgrade to the F-16s. In 2012 Rob Nabors wrote that the United States was considering the sale of fighter aircraft to the ROC.
Like most of the other branches of the ROC armed forces, much of the ROCAF's structure and organization is patterned after the United States Air Force. Like the USAF, the ROCAF used to have a wing → group → squadron structure. After November 2004, tactical fighter wing switch to wing → Tactical Fighter Group, with some fighter squadrons stood down, with each tactical fighter group, still pretty much the same size as a squadron, now commanded by a full Colonel.
Formally established in 1920 as the Aviation Ministry, the ROCAF was active during the tenure of the ROC on Mainland China. In this period, various airplanes were purchased and deployed by warlords in their struggle for power until nominal Chinese reunification in 1928. In February 1932, US Reserve Lt. Robert McCawley Short, who was transporting armed Chinese aircraft, shot down an IJN aircraft on February 19, 1932 and downed another on February 22 before he was killed (he was posthumously raised to the rank of Colonel in the Chinese Air Service).
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Wikipedia