Taiwan Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

Aero_Wing_32

Junior Member
Yes both US and French arms are overpriced....any is overpriced for Taiwan. But the question not really lies with the actual product purchase price, but with the ongoing cost of maintenance and availability of parts. 9 Mirages were mothballed recently due to a lack of spare parts....

Is it just me or is it extremely hard to get anything from the French these days. The news was first released out into the public from sometime last year and the ROCAF has virtually been begging the French for parts and yet officials say spare parts would arrive possibly at year end. One possibility/factor the govt doesn't want to buy more arms sales from the French unless they are at a dead end with the US.

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

And as you know the unavailability of Mirages spare parts was clearly due to PRC pressure, the same kind of pressure we can see over US arm deals to Taiwan. Good news if these Mirage go back to normal condition. These good warplanes are a key in the aerial defense of Taiwan. :) Thanks a lot for this news!
 

Mr T

Senior Member
*Chokes on drink*

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!


News agency Reuters also quoted remarks by US state department official Robert Kovac that the United States would sell four Type 214 submarines to Taiwan.

I don't remember Reuters quoting Kovac on type 214s, but it could be that's what he was referring to. We'll have to see what a notification on submarines, if any, says.
 
Last edited:

Semi-Lobster

Junior Member
*Chokes on drink*

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!




I don't remember Reuters quoting Kovac on type 214s, but it could be that's what he was referring to. We'll have to see what a notification on submarines, if any, says.

Well the very same Type 214 is being built under license in South Korea right now, perhaps after the initial submarine sale, Taiwan could be allowed to build more itself?
 

Pointblank

Senior Member
Well the very same Type 214 is being built under license in South Korea right now, perhaps after the initial submarine sale, Taiwan could be allowed to build more itself?

I believe there are a couple of Greek Type 214's currently sitting in limbo because the Greeks cancelled the purchase of them at a extremely late stage of the contract (at least 90%, with a few units pending delivery to customer). They could be an option.
 

Mr T

Senior Member
I believe there are a couple of Greek Type 214's currently sitting in limbo because the Greeks cancelled the purchase of them at a extremely late stage of the contract (at least 90%, with a few units pending delivery to customer). They could be an option.

Yes, that's exactly where reports have said they would come from if something happens this year.

The first, German-built, submarine is already officially up for sale. As for the other three, the Greek Navy wants the money to hold on to them but it's looking doubtful that they will get it (and all the contracts with ThyssenKrupp have been cancelled).
 
Last edited:

alopes

Junior Member
It really confuses me why it´s so difficult for Taiwan to buy the F-16 fighters from USA now.
Is it a fear for some sort of technology spying over the F-16, by the PRC, on the part of USA government, or just simple political and economic pressure?

In another point, what about the Saab JAS 39 Gripen? It appears to be a good 4th generation fighter, cheap and in production.


Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!
 
Last edited:

Mr T

Senior Member
Is it a fear for some sort of technology spying over the F-16, by the PRC, on the part of USA government, or just simple political and economic pressure?

Political pressure. China is sensibly focusing on one big thing, new F-16s, in its lobbying even if it generally objects to sales. The US seems willing to sell certain various items to Taiwan but appears to be holding off on the F-16s for now.

China's reaction to whatever arms sales happen in the meantime could be important. As I said earlier, though, it's hard to know how the US will move forward based on the reaction. Both soft and hard reactions could lead to different American responses.

In another point, what about the Saab JAS 39 Gripen? It appears to be a good 4th generation fighter, cheap and in production.

They turned Taiwan down a long time ago, as they did for submarines.
 

Mr T

Senior Member
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!


The US defense company Raytheon has been given a US$1.1 billion contract to supply a new Patriot Air and Missile Defense System to Taiwan. Former US president George W. Bush approved the sale last year and it took 14 months to reach this stage.

The contract comes just as US President Barack Obama is expected to inform Congress that he has approved a new arms package for Taiwan. That announcement could come at any time.

Raytheon president Daniel Smith said on Wednesday night in Washington: “The Patriot system is a vital element to providing superior integrated air and missile defense capabilities for the protection of Taiwan. Raytheon has provided advanced technology, *innovation and support for Taiwan for more than 40 years, and we are honored to continue that partnership today and in the future.”

The contract, issued by the US Army Aviation and Missile Command, is in two parts. The first, for US$965.6 million, covers the missile launchers or “ground-*system hardware,” while the second, for US$134.4 million, is for spare parts. The actual missiles will be covered in yet another contract to be issued shortly. Raytheon has annual sales of US$23 billion.

While details of the Patriot system remain highly classified, the version now being sold to Taiwan is known to be more advanced, more accurate and more reliable than the older system now in use. It is designed to intercept and destroy incoming ballistic missiles. China has more than 1,000 such missiles aimed at Taiwan.

Beijing strongly objected to the sale when it was first announced and is expected to raise further objections now that it is definitely going ahead.

The new arms package to be announced soon is expected to include UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and more “advanced capability” Patriot missiles, known as PAC-3 missiles.
 
Top