25 April 2014

Editorial: Taiwan to Simulate Chinese Aircraft Carrier Assault


By Zachary Keck

Taiwan’s annual computer-aided war games will simulate a PLA assault led by its carrier, the Liaoning.

Taiwan will simulate an attack against China’s sole aircraft carrier during annual war games scheduled for next month.
According to a report in the China Post, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) announced on Tuesday that annual computer war games will simulate Taiwan’s response to an all-out invasion of the island by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in 2015. The report said that this will include simulating attacks against China’s only aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, which Taipei apparently expects would be utilized by the PLA were it to invade Taiwan next year.
China Post went on to say that Taiwan’s military would also be simulating various responses to some of the other most recent additions to the PLA’s arsenal, without specifically naming any weapon systems besides the aircraft carrier. Other reports have suggested that Taiwan’s simulated response will include the use of weapon systems that Taiwan recently acquired from the United States, including the AH-64E Apache attack helicopter and the P-3C anti-submarine aircraft. In addition, the drill will include the use of Taiwan’s recent, domestically produced Thunderbolt-2000 artillery multiple-launch rocket system.
No reports suggested that Taiwan’s military would simulate using any of its new so-called “carrier killers,” although the lead ship of the class is expected to be deployed early next year. 

Read the full story at The Diplomat