Taiwan ADIZ Violations in 2022 — Monthly Totals, Peak Days and Records
Overview
Every PLA aircraft that Taiwan's ministry of national defense reported inside its air defense identification zone during 2022, month by month: the busiest days, how the year compares with the rest of the campaign, and the incidents behind the spikes.
2022 Month by Month
| Month | Total | Daily avg | Peak day |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 143 | 4.6 | 39 · 23 Jan |
| February | 70 | 2.5 | 11 · 10 Feb |
| March | 64 | 2.1 | 13 · 14 Mar |
| April | 75 | 2.5 | 11 · 20 Apr |
| May | 119 | 3.8 | 30 · 30 May |
| June | 84 | 2.8 | 29 · 21 Jun |
| July | 70 | 2.3 | 10 · 15 Jul |
| August | 446 | 14.4 | 49 · 5 Aug |
| September | 192 | 6.4 | 25 · 8 Sep |
| October | 97 | 3.1 | 9 · 5 Oct |
| November | 171 | 5.7 | 31 · 7 Nov |
| December | 207 | 6.7 | 47 · 25 Dec |
Busiest Days of 2022
| Date | ADIZ aircraft | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 5 August | 49 | China launches unprecedented live-fire exercises encircling Taiwan after Pelosi visit |
| 25 December | 47 | No incident logged within 3 days |
| 23 January | 39 | No incident logged within 3 days |
| 7 November | 31 | No incident logged within 3 days |
| 30 May | 30 | No incident logged within 3 days |
| 21 December | 30 | No incident logged within 3 days |
| 21 June | 29 | No incident logged within 3 days |
| 3 August | 27 | China launches unprecedented live-fire exercises encircling Taiwan after Pelosi visit |
| 18 August | 25 | No incident logged within 3 days |
| 8 September | 25 | No incident logged within 3 days |
Incidents Logged in 2022
| Date | Type | Incident |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Aug | Exercise | China launches unprecedented live-fire exercises encircling Taiwan after Pelosi visit |
| 1 Sep | Interception | Taiwan shoots down Chinese drone over Kinmen islet in first such intercept |
Reading the Numbers
2022 recorded 1,738 aircraft, an average of 4.8 per day. That is 79% above the 972 recorded in 2021.
Among the 5 complete years on record, 2022 ranks as the third-busiest.
The busiest month was August with 446 aircraft. It coincides with a logged incident: China launches unprecedented live-fire exercises encircling Taiwan after Pelosi visit.
The peak day of the year — 49 aircraft on August 5 — compares with the year's daily average of 4.8. Activity was reported on 268 of the 365 days covered (73%).
The longest pause of the year was 7 consecutive days without a single reported entry, starting March 20.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many PLA aircraft in Taiwan's ADIZ were recorded in 2022?
1,738 aircraft were recorded over the course of 2022, an average of 4.8 per day.
What was the busiest day of 2022?
The peak was 49 aircraft on August 5, 2022. It came within days of a logged incident: China launches unprecedented live-fire exercises encircling Taiwan after Pelosi visit.
How does 2022 compare with 2021?
2022's total of 1,738 is 79% higher than the 972 recorded in 2021.
Sources: Taiwan Ministry of National Defense - PLA activities reports · Gerald C. Brown & Benjamin Lewis, Taiwan ADIZ Violations, PLATracker