Taiwan Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

Even though this article seems more or less like bunk, perhaps there is a diamond of information under this junk. It seems AIDC at least is scrambling to come up with a fighter design in case the, what was once assumed to be a clean-cut deal, for the F-16, does not go through. I say scramble because if AIDC had made any real progress whatsoever, they wouldn't have to resort to so outlandish claims about Russians or the F-35s.

So lets assume AIDC is working on a fighter to replace the F-5Es (and possibly given the circumstances, the Mirage 2000-5s, and older IDFs that won't be refurbished), they do not have the expertise to carry it out themselves. Like the F-CK-1 before it, some sort of outside help will be needed. Any Russian cooperation seems outlandish, it would be a logistical nightmare and the Russians have never been too keen on Taiwan but when it comes to the more difficult components such as engines, perhaps something could be worked out. I'm not saying I believe a word in this bizarre article, but in the future, perhaps something could materialize from this. My opinion is that its just AIDC huffing its chest to appear to be ready in case the F-16 deal fails, what they do have already is probably only on paper (if even that much)

Weird... Semi-Lobster, I ve never heard of any replacement of the Mirage fleet so far...

Yesterday i missed a news about the taiwanese F-16s on a Taiwan TV. Did anybody get this?

Aero_Wing_32 said:

Weird... Semi-Lobster, I ve never heard of any replacement of the Mirage fleet so far...

Yesterday i missed a news about the taiwanese F-16s on a Taiwan TV. Did anybody get this?

Click to expand...

There was talk last month of soaring costs for parts and maintenance for the Mirage 2000-5 fleet, there have been a few articles that have mentioned it directly but nothing in detail. As for the F-16 news it was probably about the upgrade the fleet is getting we've been discussing for about 2 pages

Semi-Lobster said:

There was talk last month of soaring costs for parts and maintenance for the Mirage 2000-5 fleet, there have been a few articles that have mentioned it directly but nothing in detail. As for the F-16 news it was probably about the upgrade the fleet is getting we've been discussing for about 2 pages

Click to expand...

Yes, it s said that both F-16 and Mirages fleets would be upgrade sooner or later. We re aware of it now.
But I ve checked a news, yesterday when having lunch around Taipei City Hall district. i arrived too late at the restaurant and i only saw the end of the news on TV inside...
I do think it dealt with this news on the pods of the F-16... I m too busy to translate it now, but I found that this morning:

In short, it appears that the Chinese have failed to convince the Obama administration that Taiwanese arms sales should be stopped.

Moreover, it is suggested that the US will agree to sell the Black Hawk helicopters and F-16s towards the end of the year, though it is likely that plans for the submarines won't be worked out until next year.

In separate news, another contract was issued honouring outstanding congressional notifications.

Raytheon Co., Missile Systems., Tucson, Ariz., was awarded on June 23, 2009, a $45,393,242 firm-fixed-price contract for 171 STINGER Missiles, 24 Captive Flight Trainers 68 Air to Air Launchers (ATAL’s), seven Launchers Circuit Evaluators, two Digital Launcher Test Sets (DLTS), 60 Coolant Reservoir Assemblies, three Launchers Emulators, one Lot CFT Spares, one Lot ATAL Spares, and one Lot DLTS Spares for Foreign Military Sales customer Taiwan. Work is to be performed in Tucson, Ariz., with an estimated completion date of July 31, 2012. One bid solicited with one bid received. Aviation & Missile Command Contracting Center, Army Contracting Command Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-09-C-0520).

Click to expand...

That's part of the Apache notification.

Mr T said:

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

In short, it appears that the Chinese have failed to convince the Obama administration that Taiwanese arms sales should be stopped.

Moreover, it is suggested that the US will agree to sell the Black Hawk helicopters and F-16s towards the end of the year, though it is likely that plans for the submarines won't be worked out until next year.

In separate news, another contract was issued honouring outstanding congressional notifications.



That's part of the Apache notification.

Click to expand...

Excellent news for Taiwan, the acquisition of a new batch of F-16s will be a boon to the ROCAFs capabilities. Final high level talks are still yet to take place according to the article, but when you hear about the director of the PRC's Taiwan Affairs Office leaving in such a huff, something big must be going on! Of course, we should also wait and see if there are any political or economic repercussions from the Mainland from this deal as well.

Here is the latest on Taiwan and the F-16 that I have seen.

Semi-Lobster said:

Excellent news for Taiwan, the acquisition of a new batch of F-16s will be a boon to the ROCAFs capabilities. Final high level talks are still yet to take place according to the article, but when you hear about the director of the PRC's Taiwan Affairs Office leaving in such a huff, something big must be going on! Of course, we should also wait and see if there are any political or economic repercussions from the Mainland from this deal as well.

Click to expand...

I think in this case if the F16 sales goes thru it will increase the urgency of the JXX and J10B projects just a bit. Giving PLA more reasons to increase resources to accelerate the deployment of the J10B and the development/testing of the JXX fighter. This does not mean it will result in economic repercussions from the Mainland since the F22 deal for Japan is more pressing.

Semi-Lobster said:

Excellent news for Taiwan, the acquisition of a new batch of F-16s will be a boon to the ROCAFs capabilities. Final high level talks are still yet to take place according to the article, but when you hear about the director of the PRC's Taiwan Affairs Office leaving in such a huff, something big must be going on! Of course, we should also wait and see if there are any political or economic repercussions from the Mainland from this deal as well.

Click to expand...

The TAO director would leave in a huff regardless of anyway the F-16 (there are other things being sold as well like the Apaches) went into, so I wouldn't read too much into that.

Mr T said:

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

.

Click to expand...

Putting aside the factor that this is the Taipei Times, even if the deal for new F-16 sales to Taiwan go through (and that's a big IF), they would be delivered when? Between 2012 and 2015 im guessing... By that time, those aircraft, while impressive, would and could not change the military balance across the strait.
Besides, who knows what the Taiwan political landscape will be like by then...they could be much closer to China than they are today.

So, although interesting, i wouldnt read too much into this...