Taiwanese legislators are concerned about whether the body armor and bullets issued to the national army can withstand bullets from the enemy and penetrate enemy body armor. The Director of the Arms Procurement Department of the Ministry of National Defense, Huang Chaozheng, stated today that the military body armor can withstand enemy full metal jacket bullets, but ordinary bullets cannot penetrate enemy body armor. Next year, over 50,000 full metal jacket bullets will be delivered to the army. Minister of National Defense Gu Lixiong mentioned that future procurement will focus on full metal jacket bullets.
The Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee of the Legislative Yuan of the Republic of China invited Minister of National Defense Gu Lixiong and Vice Minister of Transportation Lin Guoxian to report on the “National Airport Military-Civilian Functional Redefinition of Relocating Songshan Airport and Expanding Taichung Airport” today and held a question-and-answer session.
Legislator Wang Dingyu of Taiwan expressed hope that the body armor, bulletproof vests, and ammunition distributed to the national army will continue to be improved. He previously suggested that the equipment such as body armor, bulletproof vests, and helmets used by the national army should not follow the standards of the U.S. Department of Justice but rather those of the U.S. Army. He is pleased that the Ministry of National Defense Arms Procurement Department has conducted verification reports. This concerns the lives of military personnel. He inquired about whether the bulletproof vests and body armor issued to frontline forces can withstand the enemy’s 5.8mm full metal jacket bullets.
Director Huang Chaozheng of the Arms Procurement Department of the Ministry of National Defense stated that the currently issued body armor can withstand the enemy’s 5.8mm full metal jacket bullets, and the frontline forces have been fully equipped, but the garrison forces and secondary forces have not been fully equipped.
Wang Dingyu raised a question about the ongoing review by the U.S. military and NATO to enhance the strength of body armor. Currently, the national military’s ammunition procurement primarily consists of standard bullets, and the question is whether standard bullets can penetrate the enemy’s body armor.
Huang Chaozheng explained that standard bullets cannot penetrate and that full metal jacket bullets are required. In June of next year, 55,000 full metal jacket bullets will be delivered to the army.
Lieutenant General Chen Jianyi, Chief of Staff of the Army Command Headquarters, pointed out that starting next year, bullet procurement will prioritize full metal jacket bullets.
Gu Lixiong added that he had previously requested the Arms Procurement Department to prioritize full metal jacket bullets in their policies.
Regarding Taipei Mayor Jiang Wanan’s proposal to relocate Songshan Airport, Minister of National Defense Gu Lixiong, in a media interview before the meeting, mentioned that the relocation of Songshan Airport involves many aspects. Currently, Songshan Airport is responsible for domestic air transportation tasks, especially for transportation to outlying islands and medical evacuation missions, serving as an important rescue base for the Air Division. Songshan Airport plays a crucial role in national defense resilience during both peacetime and wartime.
Gu Lixiong emphasized that if the relocation of Songshan Airport is to be considered, it is essential to carefully evaluate how the existing functions of Songshan Airport can be effectively replaced. If the central government initiates a relocation evaluation, the Ministry of National Defense is willing to provide professional opinions to ensure that the overall defense capabilities are not compromised.