The Republic of China Ministry of National Defense Air Force Command stated that the special inspection operation during the grounding period of the F-16 aircraft “Tianan No. 2” following the aviation safety incident on January 6 has been completed. Flight training has resumed as of today, January 12.
An F-16V fighter jet (tail number 6700) of the Republic of China Air Force, piloted by Captain Xin, took off at 6:17 p.m. on January 6 for a routine training mission. At 7:29 p.m., it was suspected to have parachuted in an area 10 nautical miles east of Fengbin Township, Hualien County. The Air Force immediately set up an emergency response center and initiated search operations.
On January 7, the Air Force reported that Captain Xin had a total flight time of 611 hours and 371 hours on the aircraft type. The Air Force has ordered the suspension of training missions for the F-16 aircraft “Tianan No. 2” and pilots will focus on simulating spatial disorientation tests.
In a press release at 5:45 p.m. today, the Republic of China Ministry of National Defense Air Force Command announced the completion of the special inspection operation during the grounding period of the F-16 aircraft “Tianan No. 2” following the aviation safety incident on January 6, with flight training resuming today.
The Air Force Command further explained that during the inspection, equipment maintenance had been completed, and technical and simulator training were conducted for aircrew and ground crew to ensure the equipment’s performance.
The Air Force Command emphasized a commitment to maintaining rigorous and practical attitudes, continuously implementing equipment maintenance and training management enhancements to ensure the successful execution of national airspace defense missions and safeguarding national security.
Today, the Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee of the Republic of China Legislative Yuan invited Minister of National Defense Gu Li Xiong to report on “how the military strengthens battlefield sustained combat capabilities and contingency planning for ammunition procurement in high-consumption wartime scenarios,” and prepared for questioning.
Before the meeting, Gu Li Xiong, in a media interview, addressed the progress of the F-16V search and rescue efforts, stating that professional ships have been dispatched to locate the black box, detecting intermittent signals. Due to unfavorable sea conditions, precise positioning will be conducted once sea conditions improve, and any further updates will be communicated to the public.