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

Taiwan’s arms purchase objects: F-16C/D” Fighting Falcon “fighter

According to Taiwan’s” China Times “reported on March 22, a Russian bomber briefly in January this year had air defense alert in Taiwan area, the military has failed to send planes to intercept. After disclosure of the matter, as the so-called “Taiwan’s air defense is weak,” the latest evidence, the island that some people like to take this big uproar, saying the U.S. must accelerate the introduction of new F-16C/D fighters to plug the loopholes. Taiwan’s air defense is not really into the purchase of fighter planes on an unsustainable level of it? For this view, the March issue of Hong Kong, “Asia-Pacific Defense” magazine published a different opinion.

buy F-16 will collapse back

recent years, the Taiwan military weapons and equipment in service continued to deteriorate, logistics disadvantage is an important reason. Taiwan’s air force is currently equipped with 3 main planes: 146 F-16A/B, 56 “Mirage” -2000 and 126 F-CK-1A/B “Ching-kuo.” However, the actual rate of conversion properly, able to perform combat tasks at any time the number of aircraft fight big discount.

“Asia-Pacific defense” reported that, although the “Department of Defense,” awarded to properly set the standard rate is 70%, but the actual active fighters are well below the standard rate of value. The best in the F-16A/B fleet, the proper ratio may be about 60%, made F-CK-1 with this more or less, the rule of law “the worst situation Mirage-2000, only about half to complete combat readiness. In other words, although the book on the Taiwan Air Force has over 320 main fighter, but will not be available for operations over 200.

In this case, if the Taiwan Air Force to buy F-16C/D, weak logistics system must be overwhelmed, to properly rate may fall further, the actual troop combat capability with the aircraft can not increase the absolute number of simultaneous increase in the same time, dress up F-16C/D required for pilots and ground crew must be drawn from existing units, which was already bound to the shortage of basic units and made the Taiwan Air Force, “off their feet”.

active equipment is more cost-effective upgrade

Accordingly, the article pointed out, compared to the hasty introduction of new machine, upgrade the performance of active-duty equipment, but the implementation is more robust solution. At present, the modified F-CK-1′s “ASL plan” already in progress, the first batch of 71 aircraft Since May this year is expected to start reconstruction, completed in three years. “ASL plan” not only improve the overall performance of aircraft, spare parts supply more channels to solve the problems of instability, can significantly improve the F-CK-1 for the proper rate .

in the F-16A/B in Taiwan and the U.S. sides negotiated the current active fleet has been substantially improved the performance of the program, the future of computer software in addition to improved aircraft, radar and other electronic equipment, may also be equipped with various types of advanced ground attack weapons, in order to improve the aircraft’s long-range precision strike capability.

According to preliminary estimates, F-16A/B and F-CK-1 in the complete performance upgrade, proper rate can be increased to 80%, which means that both the number of combat aircraft can be increased to 200 or more, even if “Phantom” -2000 circumstances remain unchanged, the total number of unit readiness to increase at least 15% the same time, upgrade after the aircraft more responsive to future operations, performance requirements, which can effectively improve the Taiwan Air Force’s actual combat capability.

article emphasized, and buy a new F-16C/D compared to funding for such programs can save about $ 3.0 billion. This huge sum of money if used for other military investments, should be able to play a greater efficiency, and even help relieve Taiwan to promote “comprehensive mercenary” of the financial pressures facing.