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

Data Figure: Taiwan’s fleet of US-made F-16A fighter

World Wide Web (microblogging) September 16 message, according to the” Washington Times “reported that U.S. President Barack Obama GMT nod 16, has been selling Taiwan F-16 fighters to upgrade equipment, arms sales contracts amounted to U.S. $ 4.2 billion (about NT $ 130 billion). This will enhance Taiwan’s existing F-16 fighter capabilities, increase the air defense capability, but also the United States again refused to sell Taiwan a new generation of 66 F-16C/D fighters, only agreed to provide the upgrade older models equipped with , hoping to reduce dissatisfaction with mainland China.

Taiwan currently has 150 older F-16A/B fighters and 300 F-5 fighters, of which only 30 were rated as airworthy aircraft, air combat capability in a recession year.

the Taiwan authorities in the past three to the United States apply for 66 new F-16C/D fighters, but are rejected because of the new F-16 C/D fighters attack capability far prominent than the old, and the United States “for only Taiwan defensive weapons” policy conflict.

final decisions after the arms sales to Taiwan’s air force one-third will approach the maintenance upgrade.

However, the U.S. side reiterated that the arms sales will not affect cross-strait military balance, especially in China developed the 5th generation F-20 fighter air combat capability after a substantial increase, has been non-Taiwan Air Force can be compared; plus the latest according to Pentagon statistics for the number of fighters on both sides of disparity in 1680 compared with 388, so even if the United States agreed to 66 new F-16 sales to Taiwan, it will not affect cross-strait military gap.

about this from the arms sales to Taiwan, the United States temporarily without any formal response, but according to sources, the arms sales now Barack Obama has received approval, is expected to be the recent move to open the official correspondent Council, the United States is also expected, the Chinese mainland will make a strong response. ★

share: