Military of China, force comment.
Military of China, force comment.

data Figure: Taiwan F16 fighter

BEIJING, May 13th overall Taiwan media reports, the US-Taiwan Business Council recently released a report claiming that Taiwan if unable to obtain 66 F16 C/D fighters, then the 2025 only 145 F16A/B fighters, and not to 80 be put into combat. Report encouraged the best time for Taiwan will be able to finalize the contract before the end of the year in order to “counter the mainland”, “or window of opportunity will quickly close.”

Local 11, the US-Taiwan Business Council published “Taiwan air force assessment report” (The Balance of Air Power in the Taiwan Strait), and invited the co-writer, director of the Taiwan Strait security analyzing Mei revival, and the International Assessment Strategy Center (IASC), senior research fellow Fisher (Richard Fisher) released its report.

US-Taiwan Business Association of Korean Confucianism, Peter (RupertHammond-Chambers) claimed that the U.S. security commitment to Asia-Pacific region bears, in addition to security will ignore the mainland across the Taiwan Strait, “error”, but also make Japan, South Korea , Singapore, Australia and other allies doubt American resolve.

Mei revival in the description contents of the report pointed out that Taiwan, although the existing 387 aircraft (including the stay in the United States as a training mission 16 F16 A/B), but 60 F5 E/F is too old , Mirage 2000-5 maintenance costs are too high, combat aircraft available to only 240 or so. If you can not get F16 C/D, in the F5 E/F retired in 2015, Taiwan remaining 200 planes will be used; when the Mirage 2000-5 and the “Ching-kuo” IDF retired, Taiwan 2025 will only left 145 F16 A/B, but less training mission 16 and can not combat units after only 80 or so can be put into operation.

revival Mei said, F16 C/D production line scheduled to close the end of 2013, taking 36 months of production lead buffer, preferably in Taiwan will be able to finalize the contract before the end of this year, “or window of opportunity will rapidly close. ”

report also claimed that Taiwan must develop counter-attack, so that when subjected to armed invasion can destroy important military facilities in the mainland, Taiwan has in the development of land-based cruise missiles and tactical ballistic missiles, These plans should continue. According to the “Taiwan Relations Act”, the United States should provide such weapons and capabilities to Taiwan.

Fisher claimed, based on the Taiwan air force more poor contrast, F16 C/D is not even the possession of air superiority to make Taiwan an option, only the most basic combat power to achieve balance.