Iran’s mountain bunkers shield air force, offering Taiwan survival — SkimNews
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- Iran is rapidly repairing and expanding its subterranean Eagle 44 airbase in Hormozgan province, clearing runway debris and building redundant taxiway access despite multiple US and Israeli airstrikes in 2026.
- Eagle 44 airbase — carved into mountains 160 km northwest of the Strait of Hormuz — shelters fighter jets, drones, and missiles, with satellite imagery showing post-strike reconstruction continuing under operational conditions.
- Iran’s air force preserved an estimated two-thirds of its operational fleet by dispersing aircraft into deep mountain tunnels during US and Israeli strikes, losing only 38 exposed planes despite repeated bombardments.
- Taiwan relies on fortified mountain complexes like Chiashan and Shizishan on its eastern coast to shelter up to 200 fighters, with tunnel networks containing fuel, power, and medical facilities for prolonged survival.
- Jimmy Chien proposes Taiwan adopt a two-tiered 'Phoenix' doctrine, treating fighters as hidden 'Phoenix 2' assets to sortie only after drones and mobile defenses erode Chinese air superiority.
- North Korea’s network of hardened underground airfields could allow MiG-29s and Su-25s to survive initial strikes and conduct retaliatory missions similar to Iran’s tactics against US bases in the Gulf.
Why it matters: For Taiwan and U.S. allies facing overwhelming missile barrages, Iran’s survival of precision strikes proves underground basing can preserve airpower at scale—changing deterrence calculus against China and North Korea by forcing attackers into protracted, costly suppression campaigns instead of quick knockout blows.
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