Taiwan ADIZ Violations in 2026 — 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 2026, month by month: the busiest days, how the year compares with the rest of the campaign, and the incidents behind the spikes.
2026 Month by Month
| Month | Total | Daily avg | Peak day |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 166 | 5.4 | 19 · 8 Jan |
| February | 147 | 5.2 | 32 · 12 Feb |
| March | 121 | 3.9 | 24 · 17 Mar |
| April | 169 | 5.6 | 20 · 27 Apr |
| May | 216 | 7.0 | 24 · 25 May |
| June | 134 | 4.5 | 25 · 3 Jun |
| July | 190 | 6.1 | 26 · 2 Jul |
| August | 125 | 4.0 | 17 · 4 Aug |
| September | 181 | 6.0 | 24 · 17 Sep |
| October · partial | 115 | 4.8 | 23 · 20 Oct |
Busiest Days of 2026
| Date | ADIZ aircraft | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 12 February | 32 | No incident logged within 3 days |
| 2 July | 26 | No incident logged within 3 days |
| 3 June | 25 | No incident logged within 3 days |
| 17 March | 24 | No incident logged within 3 days |
| 25 May | 24 | No incident logged within 3 days |
| 17 September | 24 | No incident logged within 3 days |
| 20 October | 23 | No incident logged within 3 days |
| 25 February | 22 | No incident logged within 3 days |
| 30 July | 22 | No incident logged within 3 days |
| 27 April | 20 | No incident logged within 3 days |
Incidents Logged in 2026
| Date | Type | Incident |
|---|---|---|
| 23 Jul | Exercise | PLA holds two-day live-fire drills off Dongshan Island after Beijing slams Lai speech |
Reading the Numbers
2026 has recorded 1,564 aircraft between January 1 and October 24, an average of 5.3 per day. That is 51% below the 3,177 logged over the same span of 2025.
The busiest month was May with 216 aircraft.
The peak day of the year — 32 aircraft on February 12 — compares with the year's daily average of 5.3. Activity was reported on 219 of the 297 days covered (74%).
The longest pause of the year was 7 consecutive days without a single reported entry, starting February 27.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many PLA aircraft in Taiwan's ADIZ were recorded in 2026?
1,564 aircraft were recorded between January 1, 2026 and October 24, 2026, an average of 5.3 per day.
What was the busiest day of 2026?
The peak was 32 aircraft on February 12, 2026.
How does 2026 compare with 2025?
2026's total of 1,564 is 51% lower than the 3,177 recorded over the same span of 2025.
Sources: Taiwan Ministry of National Defense - PLA activities reports · Gerald C. Brown & Benjamin Lewis, Taiwan ADIZ Violations, PLATracker