The Shenyang J-6 and the Chengdu J-7 are Chinese versions of the Soviet MiG-19 and the MiG-21, respectively, initially license-built in the country. Tracking construction of facilities like hardened shelters, electrical supply and fuel and ammunition depots over time, the report concluded that these airfields “adjacent to the Taiwan Strait are intended for permanent, sustained operations in the event of a Chinese attack on Taiwan.” That report also identified the J-7s and J-6s hosted by these bases. Calling it the Cicada strategy, the paper notes how “the PLAAF could choose to hide a large number of these UCAVs in underground shelters and have them surreptitiously emerge in mass for an attack on Taiwan.” The report strongly suggests targeting these airfields first, but notes that the U.S. military lacks long-range stand-off munitions that can penetrate the PLA’s Integrated Air Defense System (IADS).
Author: Parth Satam
Published at: 2025-09-17 20:40:39
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