The United States will continue to help Taiwan bolster its defensive capabilities as US officials also monitor China’s military developments, Peter Lavoy, principal assistant secretary of defense for Asian and Pacific security affairs, told lawmakers. “Stability in the Taiwan Strait is critically important to the Obama Administration, and has a strong bearing on our enduring interests in and commitments to peace and stability in the Asian-Pacific region,” said Lavoy in testimony Tuesday before the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Although Congress already has approved more than $12 billion in defense aid to Taiwan in the past two years, Lavoy said the United States will continue “to make available to Taiwan defense articles and services to enable it to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability.” Most recently, the White House announced its intent to upgrade Taiwan’s fleet of F-16s, much to the ire of the mainland Chinese communist government. (AFPS report by Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.)
Hawaii F-22s Wrap Up Deployment to Japan
April 9, 2021
F-22s and Airmen from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, forward deployed to Japan for almost one month to train with Japanese and U.S. Marine Corps aircraft as part of a “dynamic force employment” operation. The Raptors from the Active-duty 19th Fighter Squadron and Air National Guard 199th Fighter Squadron deployed…