Taiwan Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

Skywatcher said:

Ran out of money. And as for the AHEAD system, it shouldn't be too hard to make your own electronically timed fuses, if you have a good electronics and machine tool industry like Taiwan does.

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Not necessary so, Taiwan's electronic industry is far too oriented towards consumer goods and OEM, not many have the capacity to take on such an order, or willing to adapt its production line for small batch order (compare to the bulk in consumer electronics) such as those.

It's like back in the day when Taiwan has very capable plastic fabrication industry, yet they couldn't duplicate the kind of polymer used to make AUG (if that was successful, Taiwan would've long sided the bullpup camp, and we might hear more pro-bullpup talks in the Chinese-speaking community)....

Longbow radar contract:

Longbow LLC Receives $181 Million for Apache Longbow Block III Radar and Data Link Systems


(Source: The LONGBOW LLC; issued January 4, 2012)



ORLANDO, Fla. --- The Longbow Limited Liability Company, a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman Corporation, received a $181 million contract from the U.S. Army for AH-64D Apache Block III Longbow systems.

The contract includes the first international purchase of the Block III Longbow Fire Control Radar (FCR) by Taiwan, which will receive 15 Block III Longbow FCR systems.


So whats happening with the Blackhawk contract besides the few ordered earlier this year??

Interesting article
US arms sales and where ROC stands


Total arms deals concluded
2003-6, not in top 10, 900 million
2007-10, #4, 6.6 billion,
2010 #1, 2.7 billion

Total arms sales delivered
2003-6, #4, 4.1 billion
2007-10, #4, 3 billion
2010, #4, 660 million

New Puma EC-225 search-and-rescue choppers make debut
2012/01/17 23:00:32
Taipei, Jan. 17 (CNA) An EC-225 Super Puma search-and-rescue helicopter acquired by the Air Force last November was put through its paces for the media at an air base in southern Taiwan for the first time Tuesday as part of a pre-Lunar New Year military drill.

The aircraft is one of three advanced rescue choppers that the Air Force took delivery of from Eurocopter Nov. 25 to beef up its disaster relief capabilities.

The all-weather, all-topography helicopter took part in the training exercise at the Chiayi air base ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, which will begin Jan. 22. The other two were on static display at the same air base.

Lt. Col. Chang Chien-wei said the three helicopters are scheduled to be commissioned into service with the Air Force Seagull Rescue Squadron July 1. The squadron currently operates 17 S-70 choppers, most of which are over 20 years old, he added.

The Super Puma has a five-blade main rotor incorporating a new airfoil shape to reduce vibration levels and increase its capacity to up to 24 passengers. It is equipped with de-icing systems, movable stretchers, life rafts, pop-out floats, life monitoring devices and automatic flight control systems.

It can also be used to airlift supplies to isolated areas and to transport sick and injured people to hospital.

The EC-225 was first developed by Eurocopter in 1998 and Taiwan placed its order for three of them at a cost of US$110 million in February 2010, with an option for 17 more.

Taiwan sent pilots, crew and ground service personnel to Eurocopter's European base for a four-month training course last year to learn how to fly and maintain the machines.

The helicopters are 19.5 meters long, have a maximum take-off weight of 11.2 tons and a range of 857 km, in comparison with the S-70Cs' take-off weight of 9 tons and a range of 550 km.

Eurocopter is a wholly owned subsidiary of the European Aeronautic Defense and Space Co., the parent company of Airbus and one of the three largest aerospace groups in the world.

(By Chen Pei-huang and Sofia Wu)

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File photos of the EC-225 Super Puma

Taiwan has placed a US$921 million order for Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missiles as part of its military program to strengthen its air defense capabilities, a contract notification said on Monday.
In a press statement, Lockheed Martin Corp said the contract included missile and command launch system production and a follow-on sale of the PAC-3 Missile Segment to Taiwan.

No loophole on PLA-linked ship entry: MND


The Ministry of National Defense (MND) yesterday denied local media report that there are loopholes on the national security system after a Chinese vessel that allegedly has close connection with the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy was allowed to take shelter in southern harbor of Kaohsiung last week.

According to a Chinese-language Apple Daily report, the Chinese vessel in question was registered as a Panama business ship. The disguise left local Navy unguarded and therefore it was allowed to anchor at the Kaohsiung Harbor from Feb. 2 to 3.

Local military information units were not aware that the boat was connected to the Chinese military until they had intercepted a phone call made by secret agents on board the ship who tried to make reports to the PLA headquarters in Beijing, the report said.

The incident drew criticism from local military experts, who jointly fear that the Chinese ship's attempt to take of refuge could be an espionage act in disguise

They said that the PLA was apparently using the vessel to test the Taiwan military's anti-penetration capability on the country's major harbors and the MND apparently had failed in the test.

Ship Not Related to PLA Navy: MND

In its defense, the MND yesterday accused the report as “ungrounded,” adding that it was fully aware of the vessel's whereabouts and was closely monitoring the ship at all time.

Refuting the rumor that the vessel belongs to the PLA Navy, the MND said the ship, entitled “Sui Jiu No. 201,” is registered under the Chinese government's Maritime Rescue and Salvage Bureau of the Ministry of Communications.

Its crew had filed an application to the Kaohsiung Harbor Bureau on Feb. 2 to take shelter because of “extreme poor weather,” the MND said in a released statement.

The Kaohsiung Harbor Bureau granted the application based on related regulations. The ship was later permitted to anchor at a designated area “outside” the harbor.

During the period of its stay, related government units including the Navy and the Coast Guard Agency were both closely monitoring the vessel and its crew.

The ship left the harbor around 8 a.m. Feb. 3, the MND statement said.

The MND stressed that it has always been paying close attention to all foreign ships that are sailing near the seas around Taiwan for the sake of national security.

Sui Jiu No. 201

Man, the Sui Jiu No. 201 needs some serious corrosion treatment on the bow.

I wonder what it's mission truely is.? Those "secret agents" may just be political officials assigned to the ship.

bd popeye said:

Man, the Sui Jiu No. 201 needs some serious corrosion treatment on the bow.

I wonder what it's mission truely is.? Those "secret agents" may just be political officials assigned to the ship.

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If you notice, the Chinese ain't that kin in daily maintenance of, well, just about anything, buy new and use it till it's broke is the norm...and not just the government, private companies and individuals exhibit such tendency too...so when they have chance to travel to Japan or other places, and see how people there keep their cars and stuff in good working order - properly treated and cleaned, to say the least - that's a culture shock for them.

However, the military have stricter codes on things like this (it'd be hopeless if they couldn't do at least that) so their ships and such, barring unavoidable signs of wear and tear, are in better shapes.

In this case, Sui Jiu No. 201 isn't military (or part of any uniform service) but still a government vessel, difference in terms of organizational culture and funding thus we see them in such poor state.

Lastly, Taiwan's mainstream media is known to be extremely sensitive with anything that has allegiance with PRC, most of the time don't even bother to get the background story checked out...after all, the golden rule of "rumor sells" works everywhere.

Case in point - remember the EC-225 Super Puma SAR helicopters recently inducted into service? From very early on both MND and Eurocopter have refuted the rumor that components made in China were used, then when the helicopters delivered that story was dug up from the grave again...

Sub Harpoons for the Hai Lungs