Air Force to spend US$112.5 million on aging underground bunkers

Taipei, Sept. 1 (CNA) The Air Force plans to spend NT$3.57 billion (US$112.53 million) between 2027 and 2031 to upgrade 10 major systems at the Chia Shan Air Force Base in Hualien County, Taiwan's largest underground aircraft shelter.

The "Chia Shan Base System Performance Enhancement Project" was included in the 2027 general budget submitted to the Legislature on Monday.

Located inside the mountains of Hualien, Chia Shan's aircraft shelters and ammunition storage facilities are protected by the Central Mountain Range and designed to withstand bomb hits and strong earthquakes.

The base, which was completed in the early 1990s, can reportedly accommodate around 250 fighter jets underground and is regarded as an important facility for preserving the Air Force's combat capabilities in the event of an enemy first strike, particularly a missile attack.

Under the proposal, the Air Force has earmarked NT$3.57 billion over five years to upgrade 10 major systems at the facility, including instrumentation and control, ventilation and air conditioning, emergency power supplies, elevators, security doors, fire protection, auxiliary facilities, electricity, and water supply and drainage.

The upgrades will also enhance the facility's ability to protect against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats, as well as electromagnetic pulses.

The Air Force said the project is intended to implement Taiwan's military strategy of "resolute defense and multilayered deterrence."

Under the strategy, the Air Force's main fighter aircraft will be dispersed to Chia Shan in Hualien and Shizishan in Taitung during wartime to preserve combat capabilities as ordered.

However, systems at Chia Shan have been in operation for more than 30 years and are facing declining service lives and diminishing manufacturing sources and material shortages (DMSMS).

DMSMS refers to situations in which original manufacturers discontinue production, suppliers leave the market or components become unavailable, making equipment maintenance and subsequent replenishment increasingly difficult.

The Air Force said most of the systems inside the underground facility are highly specialized electromechanical integrated systems, and that maintenance of some equipment is constrained by regulations, overseas procurement requirements, patents and exclusive agency rights.

Upgrading the systems would therefore help ensure that the facility can continue to fulfill its mission of preserving combat capabilities, the Air Force said.

The Air Force has also earmarked around NT$6.88 billion between 2027 and 2031 to build 22 protective aircraft shelters at Chia Shan and four at the Shizishan air base in Taitung County.

The Air Force said the project is intended to assess the blast-protection capabilities and effectiveness of existing aircraft shelters in relation to the number of fighter jets they are intended to accommodate, in order to ensure the survivability of Taiwan's air combat capabilities.