TAIWAN is gearing up to deploy their “Porcupine Strategy” to defend themselves from a looming Chinese invasion.
In the latest episode of Battle Plans Exposed, military intelligence expert Philip Ingram MBE breaks down this unique tactic and details how China could react.
The SunMilitary intelligence expert Philip Ingram MBE breaks down this unique tactic and details how China could react on Battle Plans Exposed[/caption]
AFPA Taiwanese US-made M60A3 tank firing during military exercises on Taiwan’s Penghu Islands[/caption]
Xi Jinping has been adamant that Beijing should control Taiwan and he has refused to shy away from the idea of forcefully taking over the self-governing island.
But Taiwan remains a key player in the global trade market and is seen as an ally of the US – meaning any attack could have major implications.
Ingram believes that the taking of Taiwan would leave the world on the brink of World War Three due to how Washington responds.
Watch the latest episode on The Sun’s YouTube channel here…
He says: “While the world’s attention is fixed on Ukraine another flashpoint could ignite an even greater conflict.
“Just 112 miles from China’s coast lies Taiwan, an island of 23 million people facing 1.4 billion people and the world’s largest army.
“For Beijing, it’s not just territory, it’s destiny. For Washington, it’s a red line.”
In this episode, Ingram shows how there are three critical defensive tactics Taiwan have been learning to deploy to fend off China’s Army.
He explains: “Taiwan’s military posture is built around a core strategic principle known as the porcupine strategy or asymmetric defence.
“The goal is not to defeat the numerically superior PLA of China in a conventional war, but to make an invasion so difficult, so costly and so bloody that Beijing is deterred from ever attempting it.”
They use their Navy, Air Force and weaponry to create a sturdy and near unbreakable force which is hard to penetrate – even for the world’s largest military.
“The Air Force is the first line of defence tasked with contesting air superiority over the Taiwan Strait, and against initial waves of missile strikes,” Ingram says.
“The backbone of the fighter fleet is the recently upgraded F-16 Vipers, one of the most advanced fourth generation fleets in the world.
“This is supplemented by domestically produced jets and the French made Mirage 2000 jets.”
Then comes the Navy who assist the Air Force in creating a solid defensive base like a porcupine.
“The Navy’s role is to challenge the People’s Liberation Army Navy in the strait, prevent a naval blockade, and to deploy sea mines to make the invasion routes treacherous,” according to Ingram.
This is made up of a mixture of US destroyers and frigates and submarines.
Taiwan has ensured their subs are expertly designed for stealth missions and to be a lethal threat to any incoming invasion fleet.
APXi Jinping has been adamant that Beijing should control Taiwan and he has refused to shy away from the idea of forcefully taken over the self-governing island[/caption]
Taiwanese military personnel fire howitzer ammunition during military drillsEPA
One of their main sea-based specialities is the small, fast and heavily armed Tuo Chiang-class killer corvettes.
Ingram believes they are the “perfect example of the porcupine strategy”.
They are designed for hit and run attacks against larger Chinese warships which allows them to cause damage and get out of the way.
Completing the porcupine-look is the quills.
For Taiwan, their missile capabilities form a key part of the so-called Porcupine Strategy.
They act as the military’s quills and will be how they plan to hurt China and push them back.
Why does China want to invade Taiwan?
TAIWAN insists it is an independent nation after splitting from mainland China amid civil war in 1949.
But China claims Taiwan remains a part of its territory with which it must eventually be reunified – and has not ruled out the use of force to take the island and place it under Beijing’s control.
The island, which is roughly 100 miles from the coast of south-east China, sees itself as distinct from the Chinese mainland, with its own constitution and democratically-elected leaders.
Taiwan sits in the so-called “first island chain”, which includes a list of US-friendly territories that are crucial to Washington’s foreign policy in the region.
This also puts it in an ideal situation to slow a Chinese attack on the West.
And with tensions between the two nations high, Taiwan is likely to aid China’s enemy if it means keeping its independence.
Taiwan’s economy is another factor in China’s desperation to reclaim the land.
If China takes the island, it could be freer to project power in the western Pacific and rival the US, thanks to much of the world’s electronics being made in Taiwan.
This would allow Beijing to have control over an industry that drives the global economy.
China insists that its intentions are peaceful, but President Xi Jinping has also used threats towards the small island nation.
Ingram says: “This is the heart of Taiwan’s deterrent. The strategy relies on a massive arsenal of precise, mobile and hard to detect missiles.”
Another key area that Taiwan has been actively working to improve is the sheer volume of people they can deploy to the battle zones.
They are starting to call upon its reserve forces and civil defence more in recent months.
Ingram says they are recognising a conflict with China would involve the entire nation due to the sheer mass of Beijing’s forces.
“Military conscription has recently been extended from four months to one year to create a better trained fighting force,” Ingram says.
“In significant reforms, major efforts are underway to improve the training and readiness of its nearly 2.2 million reservists including regular area drills.”
Soldiers take part in the Han Kuang military exercise, which simulates China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) invading TaiwanGetty
EPAThree Taiwanese Air Force Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets taxi on the runway before take off[/caption]
APTaiwanese soldiers operate a Sky Bow III Surface-to-Air missile system[/caption]
