Taiwan Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

Bltizo said:

I should've been more precise -- I thought the US stopped U2 surveillance missions directed towards China years ago. Or did that never stop...?

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Chen Bingde complained of UAVs near Chinese air space. What do you think?

siegecrossbow said:

Chen Bingde complained of UAVs near Chinese air space. What do you think?

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Well unless they mixed up U2s and other UAVs (RQ-170, global hawk) or something, I'm not sure what to think.
But the fine print probably said that the US would stop U2 missions *over* china but not *directed at* china. I wonder what a U2 could garner if it was in the middle of the taiwan strait anyhow -- obviously not olden day photo recon unless it had an optics turret or something? SIGINT?

delft said:

No other country is going to attack Taiwan, because PRC wouldn't like it. And PRC is not going to attack Taiwan, because it is unnecessary.

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Hurt ROC and China will come after you with a guandao.

Bltizo said:

Well unless they mixed up U2s and other UAVs (RQ-170, global hawk) or something, I'm not sure what to think.
But the fine print probably said that the US would stop U2 missions *over* china but not *directed at* china. I wonder what a U2 could garner if it was in the middle of the taiwan strait anyhow -- obviously not olden day photo recon unless it had an optics turret or something? SIGINT?

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This topic is the recent 2nd hottest among Chinese forum (the No.1 is still train accident). My thought is, why not? It is 21st century now, why not U2 fitted with some highly sophisticated "optical turrent or something"?

Of course I personally regards "US stopped ...... over China" BS, but US simply wields that much of power to make China have nothing better to do in front of it.

Anxiously eager to see US's response when one day PLA doing the same over Tsushima strait 对马海峡, with her new EM plane (which succeeds Y-8), though it would not come soon.


Edit:

I didn't noticed that many non-PRC-citizen members sympathize (I got no better word, my bad) PRC's sensitive standing when facing "non-Chinese-ethinic foreign country" issues, while ROC members keeps their own dignity by more or less somewhat shows the difference, untill read previous few pages. Without any political intention - this is still an awkward sight.

Propaganda time: What is the full name of the country of which Taiwan people resides on? - Republic of CHINA.

Regarding post #1394, quote:

So it is OK for a US aircraft crossing the middle line of straight to the China side but it is a problem when a Chinese aircraft crosses the middle line to the Taiwan side?

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Sober minds in this particular good forum do realize what role Taiwan played, in honoring r.o.CHINA's sovereignty.

Bltizo said:

I should've been more precise -- I thought the US stopped U2 surveillance missions directed towards China years ago. Or did that never stop...?

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This is what Asian analysts refer to as the US' Cold War mentality.

The US' military spending currently accounts for ~50% of the entire planet's military spending. Global War on Terror is 1 thing, but the Pentagon also needs to mount stuff like spy plane flights to justify their military expenditure. Don't expect the spy plane (U2, UAVs, etc) flights to stop anytime soon, unless there is a seriously drastic cut in the US military expenditure.

Very interesting if true, though as the article says it's more than possible that Obama will feel domestic pressure such that he reverses the decision.

Same News in Taipei Times. The F-16 C/D sale was a mirage, and now, clearly, the upgrade appears to be anemic (weird... or ridiculous?!) if not totally cancelled. Many people spare no effort to make them real after so many years. Now it's a mess among US/Taiwan lobbyists... What next?! Nobody knows, but that's really puzzling. Even for other asian countries afraid of the growing chinese military power. The TRA seems really far away now. And it's crucial to upgrade and renew the fighters fleets. Let's see if the Mirage 2000-5 upgrade, decided by India, is possible with France.

With the way the American economy is going who know what will happen, but if they don't upgrade the jets and do not offer new ones what about providing parts, ie engines for a new Taiwanese fighter?

I get it now. The whole Pakistani letting the Chinese examine the stealth helicopter story was to push the Taiwanese fighter deal. I was wondering why this story was rehashed news when that was speculated back when Pakistan still held the wreckage.

An MLU makes far more sense than buying new block 50 C/Ds. These will be superior to a block 50 if fitted with AESA . If they are also upengined - either -229 or the -220P Pratt once proposed they will have the the highest T: W ratio of any F16 as they are lighter than block 50s. The block 20s are already supposed to have the best T:w ratio and lowest wing loading at altitude of any F16. Just as with the block 20 sale in 92, they are ostensibly "not as good as newer models" when in fact they were in many ways except payload/range superior to the then block 40/50 C/D.
Money can then go to developing a proper IDF LIFT and upgrading the M2000-5 with Rafale avionics.