But that's to avoid the initial training right? VS changing callups afterwards. Honestly 2 weeks a year doesn't sound too bad...
Taiwan Military News, Reports, Data, etc.
- Thread starter Gollevainen
- Start date
plawolf
Lieutenant General
As already noted, China is going to take massive exception to F35 sales to Taiwan. Furthermore, I think the US has massive security concerns about selling F35s to Taiwan given the extensive history of leaks and successful espionage operations China has conducted in Taiwan over the years.
F-35B is actually a pretty good buy if the U.S. offers it. It has stealth and VTOL capabilities so they could operate in event of destroyed air fields. Range is not too big of an issue since Taiwan is defense oriented.
Mr T
Senior Member
1. Price. Given Taiwan has ordered those 66 F-16Vs, an F-35 purchase is impractical for at least a few years.
2. Security. The F-35 is the US and NATO's most modern fighter. Whilst security in Taiwan has improved, there's always the risk of a hardcore Chinese nationalist getting access to F-35 data and selling it to China. The risk is probably not a lot greater than an MSS agent getting that information in another country, but it's still not a step the US is ready to take just now.
3. Production scheduling. The F-35 has quite a lot of orders right now, and it would take time to get Taiwan an order. Therefore there's no reason to give China an excuse to throw a tantrum when a delivery isn't feasible for a while.
4. How China would react is less of a concern than the previous issues. However, historically the US thought it might be a step too far. Now that the J-20 is starting to enter service in the PLAAF I think there will be less worry that Beijing would actually retaliate militarily.
Skywatcher
Captain
There's also the not insignificant chance that China could go the "Israeli Air Force vs. Hezbollah/Hamas arms shipments" route against any ROCAF F-35s.
Last edited:
Its funny that Taiwan chooses to spend $62bn to buy 66 F-16Vs on a 10-year deal instead of spending that money on F-35s over 10 years.
The US is already selling to Taiwan Patriots, SLAM ERs, ATACMs, MQ-9 Reapers, Sea Mines, and submarine tech. So from that logic, I thought, why not go all the way? Besides the US and Taiwan can always claim that Chinese deployment of S-400s and J-20s is the reason for the Taiwanese getting their own F-35s. The risk of Chinese spying in Taiwan is perhaps overstated. F-35 designs have already been compromised by Chinese cyber hacking and spying even in the US.
The Taiwan Relations Act between US and Taiwan does not guarantee US military intervention to help Taiwan in case of a military invasion by China. It only stipulates that the US will make available arms to Taiwan for defense. So selling F-35s would have made perfect sense for Taiwanese defense. And if the US decides to join the fight, all the better.
I think the arguments here about being cautions about China's red line is quite strong. I am quite sure that the US and Taiwan still fear China's response. They have been pushing all the sensitive buttons for Beijing, but have always stopped short of going to far. For example:
1) Alex Azar's visit to Taiwan is not the same level as having Mike Pompeo visit Taiwan.
2) The new Taiwanese passport makes sure to still retain the ROC name albeit in smaller font.
3) Tsai didn't make any big declaration of 'Taiwanese Independence'. There was talk of doing a public referendum like Brexit, but that didn't happen. Instead, Tsai just said that Taiwan is de-facto independent from China, which is technically true.
4) Since 1979, the US have not placed a military base in Taiwan. And as of now are not even talking about it. Sure the US have better bases in Japan and South Korea, but placing it in Taiwan would be one hell of a statement.
5) The US and Taiwan are not talking of upgrading the Taiwan Relations Act into a true Mutual Defense Treaty not unlike the old one that ended in 1980.
So it does make me wonder if the US is serious about defending Taiwan from a reunification war with China. Whether all this Taiwan-China drama is still just a big show. Orchestrated as part of the new Cold War with China. To spread more Sinophobia.
The US is already selling to Taiwan Patriots, SLAM ERs, ATACMs, MQ-9 Reapers, Sea Mines, and submarine tech. So from that logic, I thought, why not go all the way? Besides the US and Taiwan can always claim that Chinese deployment of S-400s and J-20s is the reason for the Taiwanese getting their own F-35s. The risk of Chinese spying in Taiwan is perhaps overstated. F-35 designs have already been compromised by Chinese cyber hacking and spying even in the US.
The Taiwan Relations Act between US and Taiwan does not guarantee US military intervention to help Taiwan in case of a military invasion by China. It only stipulates that the US will make available arms to Taiwan for defense. So selling F-35s would have made perfect sense for Taiwanese defense. And if the US decides to join the fight, all the better.
I think the arguments here about being cautions about China's red line is quite strong. I am quite sure that the US and Taiwan still fear China's response. They have been pushing all the sensitive buttons for Beijing, but have always stopped short of going to far. For example:
1) Alex Azar's visit to Taiwan is not the same level as having Mike Pompeo visit Taiwan.
2) The new Taiwanese passport makes sure to still retain the ROC name albeit in smaller font.
3) Tsai didn't make any big declaration of 'Taiwanese Independence'. There was talk of doing a public referendum like Brexit, but that didn't happen. Instead, Tsai just said that Taiwan is de-facto independent from China, which is technically true.
4) Since 1979, the US have not placed a military base in Taiwan. And as of now are not even talking about it. Sure the US have better bases in Japan and South Korea, but placing it in Taiwan would be one hell of a statement.
5) The US and Taiwan are not talking of upgrading the Taiwan Relations Act into a true Mutual Defense Treaty not unlike the old one that ended in 1980.
So it does make me wonder if the US is serious about defending Taiwan from a reunification war with China. Whether all this Taiwan-China drama is still just a big show. Orchestrated as part of the new Cold War with China. To spread more Sinophobia.
Last edited:
The US could delver the F-35s by air with American pilots. Then just hand them over to Taiwan on the ground. China can't blockade the US from delivering those F-35s without starting WW3. I don't know if China wants to start a "Cuban Missile Crisis" scenario over F-35s.
Do you think US can start WW3 by delivering F35 with their pilots which literally meaning US troops on Chinese soil?
Would love to see that.
The more sensible hypothetical scenario is that they would be flown in by Taiwanese pilots trained in the US. F-35 delivered to foreign clients are typically flown in by those nation's pilots.
Last edited:
I believe Trump administration has unite the Chinese people and make them more determined to face the US.
Question is will US want to fight China near China's coast.
Hu Xijin latest message to US/Taiwan:
President Xi's warning: