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

<span class=" img_descr "Figure: U.S. Air Force F-16C fighters. update

, radar enhance the “quality”

occupation of the financial implications on the “quantity”

Taiwan military to upgrade the case of the F-16 tangle

newspaper in Taipei 特约记者陈 fish newspaper correspondent Roshan love

quantity to quality “has become Taiwan’s Air Force in front of a problem. Announced the possibility of the sale of F-16C/D fighters to Taiwan in the United States to change its attitude, what is the 66 F-16C/D fighters, to buy a new or the existing 145 F-16A/B fighter performance improvement with the former quite the level of the island this controversy. According to the Taiwan News reported on May 6, the Taiwan Air Force has received the U.S. F-16A/B upgrade project quotations, but the United States, “Defense News”, disclosure, for the purchase of new F-16C/D, with limited funds Taiwan could set aside the F-16A/B upgrade “.

News today, said the Taiwan Air Force Command, confirmed receipt of the U.S. F-16 upgrade the case of quotations, including the the LINK16 tactical data link, active phased array (AESA) radar, a helmet sight and the AIM-9X Sidewinder missile. Taiwan military sources said the U.S. Congress had approved the maximum amount limit of $ 5.852 billion to upgrade the case of the fighter, originally listed in the upgrade list is Taiwan not need to buy or replace the item, by mutual agreement, the offer submitted by the United States books with Taiwan’s “Executive Yuan” is similar to the approved budget about $ 3.7 billion. Allegedly in order to reduce the planned total cost of the Taiwan side even cf the case of purchase of the Kidd-class destroyers, and reduce the number of originally planned to purchase ammunition. Taiwan military’s explanation, “Anyway, the U.S. has approved the sale of these weapons, the future Do not you worry, later gradually compile a budget, continuing to purchase”. Taiwan is currently the quotations listed in the project and the amount of review, is expected will be formally signed in summer.

Taiwan Air Force eventually gave up to replace the new engine in the upgrade program, the core part is the use of active phased array radar. Taiwan, “BBC News” on the 6th, new radar and even to some extent, have the ability to fight stealth fighter AESA radar Raytheon and Northrop Grumman’s products available in Taiwan to select. The island’s military experts believe that how to choose the most suitable model for Taiwan’s air force is a major challenge, because they can not make the selection of two types of new concept of radar, “Just as good or bad children can not evaluate the adult paper, the future only can choose to delegate to the Pentagon, “despite the United States slaughtered.

“joint news network,” said the upgraded F-16A/B performance will be superior to all active duty F-16C/D “. Taiwan Air Force officials acknowledge that even if the future of the F-16C/D avionics system upgrade to the same level, compared to upgrade F-16A/B, only the machine age and range a slight advantage, “quality” is limited. However, the Taiwan Air Force officials have stressed that the Taiwan Air Force in the “quantity” of the urgency of the People’s Liberation Army has 2300 fighters, Taiwan 490, where F-5E/F, to be replaced in five or six years, the legal system is expected to Mirage 2000 “due to high maintenance costs, coupled with diplomatic factors lead to difficult to further improvement of the purchase of F-16C/D is in the affirmative.

United States, “Defense News” disclosed “national defense budgets continue to shrink,” Defense Ministry “is caught in a hard” money war “is not only busy cobble together used to pay the purchase since 2008 U.S. military hardware into the $ 1.3 billion purchase price, but also pay for the costly full enlistment, every penny must be spent wisely, the U.S. approval to sell Taiwan F-16C/D may lead to the F-16A/B fighter upgrade case shelved. The island’s military experts also believe that Taiwan can not eat at the same time into the F-16A/B upgrade the case and the F-16C/D procurement case, “Taipei, lack of adequate funding, Ma Ying-jeou has repeatedly reneged authorities to ensure that defense spending, light worth billions the dollar F-16A/B l case is sufficient to Department of Defense to cope with a burst. “

” Defense News “speculation, Taiwan has decided to purchase the F-16C/D fighters, the existing upgrade program is likely to be to reduce or give up. However, Taiwan to give up the F-16A/B upgrade program is not easy, because the U.S. Air Force has long been Taiwan as test new radar mice, forced to shoulder the payment for the purchase of the AESA radar so-called “non-recurring engineering (ie, a one-time The huge development costs of the research, development, design and testing of new systems), “The U.S. military made clear to look at the F-16 change with the new radar results, then own 350 F-16C/D transformation in accordance with .

According to the Taiwan Air Force “combat commander” Gui estimates, whether it is purchasing the F-16C/D transformation of F-16A/B, and schedule estimates should be postponed to 2020 after the Army, when the People’s Liberation Army Air Force is not only the level of the third generation of the F -10 F -11 series aircraft has been formed the main body, even the F -20 Stealth fighter will “time window” into the column filled with investment in the Taiwan Air Force’s “lack of long-term understanding,” is just In order to buy and buy. ”

an island’s military scholar believes that if the United States to complete the upgrade of the Taiwan military has 145 F-16A/B, will help Taiwan military models unified. Li Gui-fat said: “If the United States believes that Taiwan has its value, should sell the F-35B (VTOL fighter aircraft), to sell or change the F-16 are in the ‘harm Taiwan’s armed forces’ a waste of limited military spending.” But F-35B even the U.S. are not in service, even if Washington approved sales to Taiwan, have probably in the late 1920s can be achieved. ▲

reported:

the United States will hold a “China threat” to the hearing advocated arms sales to Taiwan

Luo Yuan of Chinese response to U.S. arms sales to Taiwan: Strategies to change the essence has not changed

Ma Ying-jeou said the arms sales to Taiwan solid US-Taiwan relations

U.S. experts is recommended to give up arms sales to Taiwan to mainland China to change national debt

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