An incoming typhoon has caused the cancellation of one of part of Taiwan's largest annual military exercises as there are concerns strong winds may affect fighter jets.
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00:00F-16 fighter jets scramble to take off.
00:06And a military cargo plane rushes to deliver equipment and personnel.
00:13It's all part of the five-day Hanguang exercise, Taiwan's largest military drill, which simulates
00:19defending against an invasion from China.
00:25Taiwan's newly elected president, Lai Ching-da, oversaw the drill for the first time since
00:29taking office, inspecting troops on the ground.
00:32The military planned to land more planes throughout the day on Tuesday, but an incoming typhoon
00:38cut these drills short.
00:40Military officials say that although the weather looks fine to fly, higher altitude wind speeds
00:45and quickly changing weather are a growing concern.
00:48What we see in Hualien is just the weather in the field, but the tactical position, the
00:54tactical position after the plane takes off is not necessarily in Hualien, so it's complicated.
01:02Faced with the threat of invasion from China, which is more than three times the number
01:06of fighter jets, Taiwan's military has looked for ways to boost its defense and protect
01:11its limited military resources, investing not only in weapons, but also in infrastructure.
01:17The first two days of the Hanguang exercises are all about survivability.
01:21That's why the military is practicing how to move aircraft from the west coast to the
01:25east coast, to airports like this one in Hualien, and into bunkers like that one over there,
01:29which can conceal aircraft and still keep them able to scramble quickly.
01:34Over the last two days, dozens of aircraft have repositioned to more sheltered bases
01:39in the east, away from where a potential front line would be.
01:43Jiashan Base in Hualien is critical to preserving these aircraft, as it can house the most aircraft
01:49on the east coast, and serves as a backup command center.
02:08Jiashan Air Base sits just behind Hualien Airport, and little is known about its operational capabilities.
02:15Satellite imagery shows only a runway connecting to the mountains, but inside lies an entire
02:21maze of aircraft hangars capable of holding hundreds of aircraft and months worth of equipment.
02:28Taiwan has spent millions protecting bases like this one in the case of a war, but analysts
02:33say that investing in defense isn't just limited to weapons systems.
02:37There's probably even more investments that can be made in ensuring infrastructure is
02:42defendable.
02:43So that's camouflage, that's hardening.
02:46These sorts of investments I think are just as important as the capabilities and systems
02:52that provide that credible air defense.
02:54Officials here say that the goal of this drill, and Hanguang as a whole, is testing the resilience
02:59of Taiwan's defense.
03:01And with a typhoon expected to hit Taiwan, the military will now have to figure out how
03:05to protect its aircraft from both the enemy and the elements.
03:09Ryan Woo and Hami Okon in Hualien County for Taiwan Plus.
03:12For Taiwan Plus, I'm Ryan Woo.