The first-ever incursion of Chinese military helicopters into Taiwan’s southwestern air defense identification zone (ADIZ) this week suggests that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) could be rotating through its arsenal of aircraft to probe the capabilities of the Taiwanese defense system and how it responds, experts said on Friday.
The Ministry of National Defense said that two Z-8 helicopters the Chinese version of the French Aerospatiale SA 321 Super Frelon and one Shaanxi Y-8 transport plane flew into the southwest ADIZ on Friday morning.
The ministry on Thursday said that a Harbin Z-9 “Haitun” helicopter and a Y-8
INTELLIGENCE GATHERING: Incursions by new types of aircraft are likely attempts to observe Taiwan’s responses and tire out its pilots, the analysts saidBy Wu Su-wei and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writer