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Chinese military drone encircles Taiwan: MND

ROC Central News Agency

04/28/2023 03:37 PM

Taipei, April 28 (CNA) Nineteen Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on Thursday and early Friday, including a TB-001 unmanned aerial vehicle that almost flew around the island, according to the Ministry of National Defense (MND).

The TB-001 drone was detected entering the southwestern part of Taiwan's ADIZ, then flew to the southern tip of the ADIZ and then to its southeastern and eastern sections before returning from air space north of Taiwan, the ministry said.

Nicknamed the "Twin-Tailed Scorpion," the TB-001 is a medium-altitude, long-range combat unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) manufactured by China's Sichuan Tengden Technology.

A total of 38 Chinese military aircraft were spotted operating in the vicinity of Taiwan between 6 a.m. Thursday and 6 a.m. Friday by Taiwan's armed forces, which also observed the presence of six Chinese naval vessels, according to MND data released Friday.

The ministry said that among the Chinese warplanes, five Sukhoi SU-30 fighter jets and two J-16 jets were detected crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait, while eight J-10s, one Y-8 anti-submarine warfare plane, and one Y-8 reconnaissance plane flew into the southwestern part of Taiwan's ADIZ.

In addition to the TB-001 drone, a BZK-005 unmanned aerial vehicle was spotted flying in the airspace south of Taiwan.

The drone entered Taiwan's southwestern ADIZ, crossed the Bashi Channel between Taiwan and the Philippines and headed back to China through the southeastern part of the ADIZ.

The six Chinese naval vessels were still operating in waters around Taiwan as of Friday morning, the MND said.

The ministry said it had scrambled planes to monitor the Chinese aircraft, in addition to issuing radio warnings, mobilizing combat air and naval patrols and deploying defensive missile systems.

(By Wu Sheng-hung and Chao Yen-hsiang)

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