Taiwan Apache attack helicopters enter service in Chinese tensions

MUSCLE. Taiwan military personnel greeted in front of Apache AH-64E attack helicopters made in the United States during a commissioning ceremony in Taoyuan on July 17, 2018. Photo by Sam Yeh / AFP

TAOYUAN, Taiwan – Taiwan on Tuesday, July 18, put into service its fleet of Apache attack helicopters manufactured in the United States, improving its defenses against a growing military threat from China.

The United States sold 30 Apache AH-64E – also known as the "tank killer" in Taiwan. a part of a $ 6.5 billion armament contract announced in 2008 that angered Beijing

China considers the self-managed island as part of its own territory to be reunited, by force if necessary, and opposed any sale of arms to Taiwan.

Washington is the biggest deterrent against any Chinese invasion. Although she does not have official diplomatic relations with Taiwan, she is required to provide defensive weapons under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act.

The Taiwanese army was the first force outside the United States to use Boeing's latest Apache AH-64 variant. which was delivered to the island between November 2013 and October 2014.

Boeing describes it as "the most advanced multi-role combat helicopter in the world" and it was sold to countries like Japan and the United Kingdom.

At a ceremony that took place Tuesday at a military base in Taoyuan City, in the north-west of the country, the captain described the commissioning of the fleet of "very powerful line of defense". Added Tsai, adding that 84 weeks of flight training are required to qualify as an Apache pilot.

The Apaches were joined by other aircraft to fly over and maneuver in flight

. It was damaged during a forced landing on a building during training in April 2014.

The Taiwan Army also introduced the first Apache female pilot AH-64E to Asia. Yang Yun-hsuan, an army major, said that she was following in the footsteps of her father, who was also a pilot.

China has intensified its diplomatic and military pressure on Taiwan since Beijing's skeptical Tsai took office two years ago. , including the staging of a series of military exercises near the island.

Beijing is also exasperated by recent warming movements between Washington and Taipei. These include the approval by the US State Department of a preliminary license needed to sell the submarine technology to the island. – Rappler.com