Taipei:Taiwan's Air Force is set to initiate its annual Tien Lung, or "Sky Dragon," drills on Monday, aimed at evaluating pilots' combat abilities along with ground-based logistical support, as reported by a military source.

According to Focus Taiwan, the drills will proceed until Friday, testing pilots in air-to-air, air-to-sea, and air-to-ground combat scenarios utilizing the Air Force's primary fighter aircraft, which include F-16Vs, Mirage 2000-5s, and Indigenous Defense Fighters (IDFs).

The exercises will concentrate on aerial interceptions and employing the aerial gunnery target system (AGTS). They will simulate scenarios where pilots must quickly scramble their aircraft, identify targets, engage them with missiles, and perform mock "dogfights" with adversary aircraft.

In addition to aerial maneuvers, as in previous years, the Air Force will identify flying aces across various categories such as aerial combat and precision. The Tien Lung exercises will also encompass ground-based logistical support drills and evaluate the Air Force's joint operational capabilities alongside the Army, Navy, and Information, Communications and Electronic Force Command.