Taiwan's newly ordered $8 billion-worth 66 F-16V fighters are of downgraded standards and may not include ammunition and other accessories, Taiwanese media have claimed.
The island nation has agreed to pay about $110-120 million per jet, way less than net price of "weaponised" Bulgarian F-16. The Balkan country will acquire each jet at around $200 million a piece, taking the total value of the contract of 8 fighters to $1.67 billion.
"So what Taiwan gets may only be 'shells' of fighters that are not combat-ready. The Lockheed jets could be of 'simplified specifications'," United Daily News report said.
The report added that the overall cost of the contract could be way higher than the amount officially budgeted and negotiated with the US suppliers. Taiwan may purchase parts and accessories from the US in a "separate, piecemeal manner" to minimize criticisms of splurging taxpayers’ money.
In response, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry stressed that weapons and missiles for the existing fleet of F-16s would be compatible with the new F-16Vs that features AESA radar systems, data links and advanced avionics.
The ministry added that that other than the 66 fighters, the deal would include 75 GE Aviation F110 engines, data links, 75 Northrop Grumman APG-83 AESA radars and electronic warfare suites, and other equipment, training, and services related to such a large purchase.
Raytheon has won a $13.25 million modification contract to exercise options for engineering and technical services in support of Standard Missile-2/6 shipborne guided missiles belonging to US, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Germany, Australia and Denmark
In the face of stiff Chinese opposition, the US State Department yesterday approved an $8 Billion sale of 66 F-16 Block 70 fighter jets to Taiwan without its formidable array of air to air and air to ground weapons. China has already evinced fears that the latest Lockheed Martin F-16s have the capacity to get past Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) defences and attack the mainland
Claiming that a potential sale of 66 F-16 jets to Taiwan by Washington has the capacity to threaten the Chinese mainland, Beijing has threatened economic sanctions against the US and has vowed to do “everything” to block the deal. Speaking through the voice of “military analysts,” state-owned media said the F-16Vs come equipped with AESA radar, advanced missiles and bombs which have the capacity to threaten the Chinese air force and military and economic targets in the mainland
United Technologies Corp has won a $19.8 contract to provide engineering and technical services in support of the engines for the F-15 and F-16 aircraft belonging to Taiwan, South Korea, Pakistan and 7 other countries
Taiwan rolled out “Brave Eagle,” the first indigenously produced Advanced Jet Trainer at the Aerospace Industrial Development Corp factory in Taichungs Salu District yesterday. The Ministry of National Defense has named the jet trainer as the AIDC T-5 Yung Ying (“Brave Eagle”)
The Taiwanese Military has said it plans to acquire the F-35 stealth fighter to maintain air superiority over China as the F-16V it has approved to buy from the US would be a match for the Chinese J-20 stealth jets. The plan to acquire F-35s was revealed jet during a legislature hearing which approved a draft bill seeking NT$250 billion (US$8
A first-ever Cyber Offensive and Defensive Exercise is to be held in Taiwan in November involving 15 nations from the Americas, Asia and Europe. Taiwanese Vice Premier Chen Chi-mai who is also head of the Cabinet department for information security, said Sunday that the exercise was planned in the wake of increasing cyber attacks targeting the Taiwan government
Taiwan released a blow-by-blow strategy to “repel Chinese forces” in its latest National Defense Report, a few days after China conducted joint land assault exercises off its eastern coast, close to the island nation. The report, released Wednesday, is the first to be made public after President Tsai Ing-wen took office in 2016
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