US could be ready to sell F-16s to Taiwan: official
ANNOUNCEMENT: The military’s budget request in 2006 showed that the Cabinet had allocated NT$16.03 billion for F-16s, even before US approval
By Rich Chang
STAFF REPORTER
Tuesday, Apr 08, 2008, Page 2
An Air Force official yesterday told the legislature that the US could announce the approval of the sale of F-16C/D fighter aircraft to Taiwan as early as June.
“We have learned that the US military supports the F-16 deal and are optimistic that the US might announce the sale after May,” Air Force Chief of Staff Major General Liu Chen-wu (劉震武) told the legislature’s Diplomacy and National Defense Committee.
He said the military was awaiting the announcement.
The military expected to sign a letter of offer and acceptance for the deal in November and that at the time the military offered to make an initial payment of NT$19.9 billion (US$653.8 million), he said.
The military’s budget request in 2006 showed that the Cabinet had allocated NT$16.03 billion to begin the procurement of F-16s, even though Washington had yet to approve the deal.
The initial payment was only a fraction of the total cost for 66 aircraft. But the funds were returned after the US did not approve the arms deal.
The legislature set aside NT$20 billion for the purchase of F-16s last year, but it requested that the funds be frozen until the deal was approved.
Liu made the presentation to the legislative committee with the hope that the committee could support funding for the acquisition.
The committee agreed yesterday to unfreeze the funds if and when the US has announced the deal.
It's about damn time they sold us some new F-16s. BTW If you guys didn't know Taiwan got rejected in the World Health Assembly again with China saying that it deeply cares about its "Taiwan Compatriots" and that it has done all that "it" can do give "all" of the information from the WHO to Taiwan. Oh yea and the new defence white paper from Taiwan comes with a DVD containing footage of the Taiwanese military that is if you get the actual book.