Taiwan waits for fighter jets – but it needs people to fly them

As the threat of conflict with China grows, the country has ordered 66 more F-16s to bolster its defences. Now the race is on to train their pilots, find Lily Kuo and Vic Chiang

AT3 jet pilots return after running missions and trainings at a base in Kaohsiung (Washington Post/An Rong Xu)

Five years ago, Taiwanese fighter pilot Lt Col Hsiao Yi-chiao was ordered to scramble to intercept an incoming Chinese military aircraft. He took off within six minutes, his F-16 jet screaming into the sky above southern Taiwan.

Soon he was following the People’s Liberation Army J-16 fighter jet. Then it suddenly slowed, made a sharp turn and began accelerating toward him.

Unable to communicate with the other plane, Hsiao was alarmed. He had no idea what the PLA pilot was going to do. But the Chinese jet sped past and left, apparently heading back to the Chinese mainland.