The so-called“Dynamic of PLA ships and aircraft” released by Taiwan’s Defense Department on the 11th shows that from 6 am on the 10th to 6 am on the 11th, the PLA has deployed a total of 66 military aircraft and 7 warships to operate around the island, a new high in relevant statistics this year.
On the 11th, Taiwan Zhongshi news website said that according to the data released by the Taiwan army, the PLA had“Surrounded Taiwan on three sides” that day, using 56 sub-prime and auxiliary fighters, helicopters and drones to cross the so-called“Middle line of the strait”, it entered the airspace of the northern, southwestern and southeastern parts of Geelong, forming a “Ring around Taiwan on three sides”. Another seven PLA ships continued to operate in the vicinity of the Taiwan Strait.
In order to show“Close monitoring and response”, the Taiwan army also released“Monitoring Pictures” for the PLA J-16 and H-6. The report specifically mentioned that when the PLA conducted the“United Swords-2024a” exercise in May this year, taiwan Air Force for the first time by the F-16V fighter aircraft, the most advanced“Sniper” pod“Calibration of the PLA J-16, H-6 fighter images,” causing concern.
Taiwan’s so-called surveillance footage of the J-16
However, a reporter from the global times noticed that, like the so-called“Surveillance footage” released in May this year, the“Surveillance footage” released by the Taiwan Army this time is also very vague, it was actually taken by a military aircraft from a very long distance.
Taiwan’s Lianhe Daily said 56 PLA flights crossed the so-called“Middle line of the strait” on July 10, a record number. Previously, Taiwan’s defence ministry had recorded 54“Overflights” by PLA aircraft on April 10 as the most ever 2023 day.
In recent days, Taiwanese media have been paying close attention to the PLA’s patrols around the island and have speculated on the PLA’s intentions in terms of naval and air strength. Taiwan’s Zhongshi News Network said on July 8 that the People’s Liberation Army had for the first time sent two TB-001“Two-tailed scorpions” at the same time in the eastern waters of Taiwan.
The report said that the drone was suspected of flying around in different layers of the sky and deliberately switching on communication equipment for Taiwan to monitor, while another plane collected Taiwan’s radar and electronic parameters, “Indicating that the PLA is stepping up its drone operations.”.
Local media also speculated that the recent activities of PLA aircraft and warships may be related to the Shandong aircraft carrier. Lu Lishi, a retired officer in the Taiwanese Navy, said the PLA’s Shandong fleet had reached the eastern island of Philippine Sea. “No Imaginary Enemy ‘Hanguang 40’ exercise, the emergence of the Real People’s Liberation Army!”.
According to the Ministry of Defense, the Shandong fleet was already in the sea about 520km southeast of Miyako Island at 7 am that day, according to a notice from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Supervision. LÜ believes that the Shandong vessel entered the Philippine Sea exercise for the first time this year, which overlaps with the Taiwanese army’s Hanguang 40 actual military exercise scheduled for July 22-26, so a few days ago across the southwest islands of Japan’s People’s Liberation Army drone and fleet are open for the Shandong ship.
The Shandong fleet at Philippine Sea includes the guided missile destroyer Yanan, the guided missile destroyer Guilin and the missile frigate Yuncheng. The PLA fleet in nearby waters includes the Lhasa, a Type 055 guided missile destroyer, and the Hoh Xil, a Type 903A supply ship. The 052D Guided Missile Destroyer Yinchuan, the 054A missile frigate Hengshui and the Russian frigate perfection have also entered the western Pacific. LÜ Lishi said that the future does not rule out the 3 fleets will join joint patrols.
Military experts on the mainland believe that this possibility is not out of the question as to whether the Shandong aircraft carrier formation and the sino-russian joint maritime patrol formation, which are both present in the western Pacific Ocean, will conduct joint training operations, if the sea conditions and the plans of action of the two parties permit, the two formations shall conduct sea offensive and defensive exercises in the waters of the western Pacific, or each other as adversaries, or the two formations shall join together to conduct sea joint defensive combat exercises, it’s all normal, no big deal.
As for the Taiwanese media linking the PLA’s Shandong carrier mission to the Hanguang 40 exercise, experts say such Lenovo is self-indulgent. Over the years, the so-called“Han-guang” exercise by the Taiwanese army has proved to be an act that is not worthy of attention. The basic aim of the offshore training of the Shandong aircraft carrier group is to improve the sea defense combat capability of the aircraft carrier group so as to resist the enemy thousands of miles away.