Taiwan wants VSTOL fighters, report claims

[buglerbilly]

DATE:02/06/10

SOURCE:Flight International

Taiwan wants VSTOL fighters, report claims

By Leithen Francis

Taiwan hopes to maintain air operations in the event of a military conflict with China by using vertical and short take-off and landing aircraft.

VSTOL fighters would allow Taiwan to maintain fighter operations should Chinese missiles damage the island's military runways, says US-based think-tank the Project 2049 Institute in a report entitled Evolving Aerospace Trends in the Asia Pacific Region.

Former US deputy assistant secretary of state Randall Schriver heads the institute. While at the State Department, Schriver was responsible for issues relating to China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

The report quotes former Taiwanese air force commander Liu Guili as saying: "The air force is open to any kind of VSTOL fighters, and is not necessarily aiming for the US [Lockheed Martin F-35] Joint Strike Fighter that is in development."

Taiwan's initial requests for participation in the international JSF programme were rebuffed, adds the institute.

Taiwan has also built underground storage hangars for its fighters.

"The underground aircraft storage facilities adjacent to Hualian airbase and near Taidong are able to house more than half of the Republic of China air force's total fleet," the report says.

Taiwan has also been conducting exercises to improve its "rapid runway repair" capabilities, it adds.

Taiwan's air force has 56 Dassault Mirage 2000s, 145 Lockheed F-16A/Bs, 126 Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation F-CK-1 Indigenous Defence Fighters and 60 Northrop F-5E/Fs, says the institute, adding that the F-5s are reaching the end of their operational lives.

To meet its more immediate needs, Taiwan has for several years been trying to persuade the USA to sell it a further batch of 66 F-16C/Ds.

In January, Washington announced that it plans to sell Taiwan arms equipment worth $6.1 billion, including 60 Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters and 114 Lockheed Patriot PAC-3 missiles. However, the deal excludes more F-16s.

[McDethWivFries]

Hyperthetical question here, what would you perceive the US's response to Taiwan and China reunifing what with all the tech they've sold them over the years? I would've thought that if they were wanting them both to reunite there is no way they'd be selling them advanced gear as it would just end up in China's hands in the end.

[Deks]

I can't see Taiwan and China unification bringing anything positive, though I'm willing to be corrected :)

[buglerbilly]

Taiwan could have to wait until late 2011 for F16C/D jets: Reports

Taiwan News, Staff Writer

2010-06-06 06:20 PM

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Taiwan might have to wait until the end of next year before the United States approves the sale of F16C/D jets, reports said Sunday.

The government has been asking Washington for 66 of the more sophisticated C/D versions of its existing F16A/B fighters, but the Obama Administration has so far not given the go-ahead for the deal.

The current visits by American Institute in Taiwan Chairman Raymond Burghardt and by three U.S. Senate Democrats – Dianne Feinstein of California, Mark Udall of Colorado and Kay Hagan of North Carolina – have led to more speculation about progress on the arms purchase.

However, the likelihood of approval for the F16C/D sale was low in the near future, the Chinese-language United Evening News reported Sunday. Washington was reportedly more likely to offer upgrading Taiwan’s present F16A/B fleet, according to the paper.

If the new planes had still not been approved by the end of this year, then a deal before the end of 2011 was unlikely, reports said.

President Ma Ying-jeou reportedly told the visiting U.S. senators that the planes were needed to strengthen Taiwan’s defensive capabilities in the face of China’s rapidly modernizing armed forces and to beef up morale. The senators did not oppose arms sales to Taiwan but also refrained from taking a clear stand on the topic of the fighter jets, the United Evening News said.

In January, the U.S. approved the sale of a US$6.4 billion package including Patriot missiles, Black Hawk helicopters and mine hunters, but not the F16 jets or the design plans for diesel-fueled submarines. Taiwan had been seeking to obtain the weapons for many years.

China struck back by announcing sanctions on the U.S. defense firms involved in the deal.

[ARH v.3.1]

Just as a random thought, what is the feasibility in the US using an enhanced military aid package to Taiwan as leverage for better Chinese cooperation re. North Korea?

[JimWH]

I rather suspect the American's aim is to convince the Chinese to drop their support for North Korea on the basis of mutual interest rather than by bribing or blackmailing them into it. In terms of isolating NK in the long run (which is the goal), there is comparatively little to be gained by forcing the Chinese into courses of action they don't feel actually benefit them in the long term.
I actually rather suspect the best in roads will be made by the South Koreans enhancing trade links with the Chinese, convincing them that they're a good neighbour and that they really don't need a buffer state between themselves and the PRC.