So what upgrades do these new IDF have exactly, apart from CFTs?
Increased air to ground weapons load.
Taiwan Military News, Reports, Data, etc.
- Thread starter Gollevainen
- Start date
Increased air to ground weapons load.
Aero_Wing_32
Junior Member
Congratulations Taiwan!
Some details... digital cockpit, upgraded radar - range 130km, still less than the RDY Mirage 2000-5 (multi target) radar though : 160km - countermeasures including a new 32bits digital flight control computer and new weapon control systems for the new multirole capabilities of the aircraft. Therefore new hardpoints for carrying external stores ve been added.
Nothing changed for the poor IDF motorization though...
By then, IDF is now a full multirole fighter, becoming the leader in the ROCAF fleet, better than the old F-16 A/B (standards from the beginning of the 90s), but it s not a better interceptor than the Mirage 2000, with avionics from the end of the 90s (32 bits systems) and still a better radar (mentioned above). But the french aircraft is an interceptor, "only".
That would be good for A to G and mainly for anti ship missions, and even for interceptions of chinese Flankers. But in front of the chinese Su-30 fleet, that won t be enough...
That s why the upgrade of F-16 and Mirage fleets are so important for Taiwan military forces.
I applaud their efforts, but honestly its too little too late. They had the advantage before, but they have lost it now, its basically how big the gap is going to grow. This will lessen the gap, but its still not enough to make it on par. With its 4th generation fighter force of 622, also 194 aerial strike force, it over runs Taiwan whole airforce. But then again mainland won't assign all its assets.
The only way for Taiwan now cannot be military, unless they are sure US will help them in war time (which I think they have their doubts). The solution is through dialogue, they really don't have any other choice.
Aero_Wing_32
Junior Member
Thanks for your point, pal, but Taiwan has also the right to defend itself from any threat, not only from mainland. Like any other country all around chinese border. Over and out.
i didn't say they don't have the right to defend themselves. but using military power to solve their issue is in no way viable, considering the position they are in.
They should be investing in assymmetric warfare rather than trying to fight through conventional means. submarines, SAMs, and ATGMs should be the way to go rather than frigates, fighter aircraft and tanks.
I don't think the PLAAF has reached a critical mass where it can plough over the ROCAF yet, but that will be reached soon, especially considering the massive SRBM force 2nd Arty has.
Skywatcher
Captain
They've hit the point of diminishing returns already. Probably like about four to five years ago. The military is now becoming supplemental to dialogue and economics.
They have hit the point of diminishing return when they half abandoned IDF project and sent all the people away.
IDF basically was in mind of ROC leadership as a "fishing" project so Americans would sell them F-16!
and waited a couple years, and (at I am convinced) that They could have gotten F404 engine. Imagine an IDF with two F404 engine, or a F-18 Hornet optimized for higher speed?
even if the engine is not assembled in taiwan, who cares.
anyways, at this point buy fighters from PRC is actually not a bad choice.
