Taiwan’s National Day is coming up on October 10. And no National Day celebrations would be complete without a parade showcasing Taiwan’s military prowess. The army and air force have been rehearsing day and night for the grand show.
The Thunder Tiger Aerobatic Team zips across the sky, trailing behind smoke in red, blue, and white smoke, the colors of the national flag. A total of 47 aircraft took to the air as part of this exercise, including CH-47 helicopters, IDF fighter jets, Apache helicopters, F-16V fighter jets, and Mirage 2000 fighter jets. The largest existing national flag also made an appearance, suspended from a helicopter.
There are National Day parade fans who couldn’t wait for the actual parade and were there to watch the rehearsals. One fan said she has been there for the rehearsals every year. She said she was even there the night before for another, ground-based rehearsal.
During that night time rehearsal, the Tri-Service Honor Guard practiced formations and performed impressive maneuvers with their rifles. A total of 170 military vehicles took part. They included Mercedes Benz C-43 safety cars and decoy radar vehicles.
Last but not least, the Coast Guard Administration proudly presented a model of its An Ping class patrol frigate. It hopes that on National Day, it can show off the success of naval vessels made here in Taiwan.
News Source：RTI
Editor：Shirley Lin
Source: RTI
