Taiwan Turns Highways into Runways
Those military drills were today -- check out this article (with pretty picture to boot). Here's an even better photo.
Here's the deal, as the saber-rattling and war gaming proceeds on both sides of the Taiwan Strait:
Taiwanese fighter jets practised landing on a highway yesterday in a rare drill to prepare pilots for the possible bombing of their bases by China. Two French-made Mirage jets practised landing, refuelling, reloading and taking off on the road, he said. One rumoured war scenario has China destroying Taiwan's air strips with short-range missiles and bombers. To deal with such a loss, the Taiwanese have designated several sections of highway as emergency runways. In the early hours of yesterday morning, the military began blocking off an 8km section of the freeway in southern Tainan County. About 6.20am local time, the two Mirage jets touched down on the highway. |
When I visited these highways a few years ago and heard the story about their dual purpose, I remember thinking vaguely, "That's an interesting factoid to tell my American friends when I fly back to the States." I never thought the highways would actually be used as runways. Now I'm hoping they never get used as runways in a war.