Taiwan detects mainland Chinese combat drones circling the island ‘for the first time’
- Unmanned aerial vehicles capable of carrying large weapons flew around the island on Friday, Taiwanese defence officials say
- Manoeuvre comes as US Navy reconnaissance plane flies through Taiwan Strait
Experts said the move indicated the mainland was trying to use a low-cost strategy to break into the self-ruled island’s 24-nautical mile air defence identification zone.
A flight track map released by the Taiwanese defence ministry showed that a long-endurance strike-and-reconnaissance drone – which can carry heavy weapons – circled the island and another long-range reconnaissance drone made a half-loop while 17 other fighter jets hovered southwest of Taiwan.
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Taiwan residents living within sight of mainland China voice concerns over live-fire drills
“It is very likely that the PLA is trying to use new low-cost tactics to break into Taiwan’s 24-nautical mile limit,” said Lu Li-shih, a former instructor at Taiwan’s Naval Academy in Kaohsiung.
