Ching Chuan Kang Air Base Ching Chuan Kang Air Base ( , CCK ) is a Republic of China Air Force ( ROCAF ) base located in Taichung , Taiwan . It is the home to the 3rd Tactical Fighter Wing , with three squadrons of F - CK - 1 ( IDF ) air - defense / attack fighters . It is also used by the army ' s airborne and special operations command . Ching Chuan Kang Air Base is shared with Taichung Airport commonly known as Taichung Ching Chuang Kang Airport . History . Construction of the airfield started in 1957 , and was given the highest priority of several projects begun after the situation between Taiwan and Mainland China became tense in the mid - 1950s . Kung Kuan Air Base was renamed Ching Chuan Kang Air Base on 20 March 1966 in memory of ROC Army Gen . Qiu Qingquan , and was thereafter known throughout the theater by its initials , CCK . As of the late 1990s , the longest runway at Ching Chuan Kang was reportedly long . Taiwan obtained an initial batch of American F - 104 Starfighters in 1960 - 61 , and eventually received over 200 of these aircraft , all of which were withdrawn from service in the early 1990s . The Starfighters were operated by the 2nd / 499th Tactical Fighter Wing at Hsinchu , the 3rd / 427th TFW at Ching Chuan Kang AB , and the 5th / 401st Tactical Combined Wing at Taoyuan . In May 1999 it was reported that China had built a replica of Ching Chuan Kang AB at a site near Dingxin airport ( ) in the northwest province of Gansu , presumably to train units assigned to attack the Taiwanese facility in the event of conflict . USAF use . During the Cold War , CCK was used by the United States Air Force as a support installation . USAF use of the base began in 1958 with the deployment of twelve Lockheed F - 104 Starfighters from the 83rd Fighter Interceptor Squadron during the Quemoy crisis . The crisis was peacefully resolved , and the aircraft were returned to the United States . In April 1965 , the 479th Tactical Fighter Wing at George AFB California deployed two F - 104C squadrons to CCK ( 434th and 435th TFS ) . Tactical Air Command reassigned the 314th Troop Carrier Wing , with Fairchild C - 123 Providers and Lockheed C - 130 Hercules to CCK on 22 January 1966 from Sewart AFB , Tennessee . Known squadrons were : These aircraft remained deployed to the base to provide passenger and cargo airlift throughout the Far East and combat airlift in Southeast Asia . The 314th TAW returned to Little Rock AFB , Arkansas in 1971 . The 314th was replaced by the Pacific Air Forces 374th Tactical Airlift Wing on 31 May 1971 , being reassigned from Naha AB , Okinawa with CCK becoming a major depot support facility in Asia for theater - based tactical airlift aircraft . Known squadrons were : The 374th remained heavily committed to support of operations in Southeast Asia , and also continued routine airlift in other areas . One of the wing ' s humanitarian missions - flood relief in the Philippines - earned it a Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation in 1972 . The wing provided support in March 1973 for Operation Homecoming , the repatriation of American prisoners from Hanoi , North Vietnam . The increase in the B - 52 Arc Light sortie rates over Vietnam necessitated relocation of additional KC - 135 ' s which provided PACAF fighter support . In February 1968 the United States Air Force Strategic Air Command 4220th Air Refueling Squadron deployed to CCK , bringing KC - 135 tankers formerly based at Takhli RTAFB , Thailand and Kadena AB Okinawa . The KC - 135s were redeployed to permit increased B - 52 operations at U - Tapao and F - 111 deployment at Takhli . The move of the KC - 135 ' s to Ching Chuan Kang increased their effectiveness since they would be based nearer to Vietnam refueling areas . In addition five U - Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield based radio relay aircraft were moved to Ching Chuan Kang by February 1968 , along with approximately 450 additional USAF personnel . Two Martin EB - 57 Canberras from the 347th Tactical Fighter Wing based at Yokota AB Japan deployed to CCK , between November 29 and December 8 , 1968 . These aircraft provided Republic of China Air Defense pilots an opportunity to detect and intercept enemy aircraft that used electronic countermeasure ( ECM ) equipment . On 20 February 1972 a Lockheed HC - 130 set a world record [ that still stands ] for a great circle distance without landing with a turboprop aircraft of , flying from Ching Chuan Kang AB to Scott AFB , Illinois . The 18th Tactical Fighter Wing based at Kadena AB , Okinawa maintained a detachment of McDonnell F - 4C Phantom II aircraft from November 1972 until 1979 . On 13 November 1973 , the 374th TAW was reassigned to Clark AB Philippines . In 1979 , normalization of relations with the People ' s Republic of China ( PRC ) led to the withdrawal of USAF personnel from the base . External links .