The Executive Yuan is only giving the Ministry of National Defense US$3.7 billion for the upgrade of the nation’s ageing F-16 aircraft, the Taipei Times has learned.
As a result of that decision, the ministry has told the air force that it cannot afford to spend US$5.1 billion on the upgrade package, notified to US Congress in September last year, for its 145 F-16A/Bs.
The Times was also informed that a decision has been made not to replace the aircraft’s F-100-PW-220 engines with F-100-PW-229, work that would have cost an estimated US$1.35 billion.
The air force is currently negotiating with US contractors and trying to determine whether to upgrade fewer aircraft or to limit the items included in the upgrades. Consensus on the best possible plan has yet to be reached.
According to a source close to the negotiations, two scenarios are emerging. The first would involve the upgrade of all 145 F-16A/Bs, but to a lesser standard than that proposed in the Sept. 21 notification, or with smaller quantities of armaments.
Although Washington has yet to commit to selling Taiwan the more advanced F-16C/D, the upgrade included an impressive array of advanced weapons systems, including 176 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radars; 176 Embedded Global Positioning System Inertial Navigation Systems; 176 ALQ-213 Electronic Warfare Management systems; 140 AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles; 16 GBU-31V1 Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) kits; 80 GBU-38 JDAM kits; and Dual Mode/ Global Positioning System Laser-Guided Bombs — 16 GBU-10 Enhanced PAVEWAY IIs or GBU-56 Laser JDAM, 80 GBU-12 Enhanced PAVEWAY IIs or GBU-54 Laser JDAMs, and 16 GBU-24 Enhanced PAVEWAY IIIs.
The second — and reportedly likeliest — scenario would involve a modest upgrade for only a number of aircraft, with potential for a second round in future. Initial estimates for the upgrade of all 145 aircraft put it at 10 years, a period during which the air force is expected to retire the obsolete F-5 and a number of Mirage 2000s.
Lockheed Martin Corp, the maker of the F-16, appears to be regarded by the air force as the only candidate to perform the avionics upgrades and weapons systems integration, despite a stipulation by the legislature that to ensure the proper use of government public resources, the Letter of Agreement (LOA) for the upgrade package — which is expected to be signed in April — should not specify any supplier and must request that the US team perform an open competition.
BAE Systems is competing with Lockheed for the upgrade, in many ways similar to the one for Taiwan, of 135 KF-16C/Ds for the South Korean air force. Seoul is expected to announce its decision in May or June.
Given that lowering costs appears to be the main consideration for the ministry, industry sources argue that rather than rush into signing the LOA in April and cut back on acquisitions of much-needed weapons to fit the US$3.7 billion mould, Taipei could benefit from waiting to see the outcome of the bidding process in South Korea, which could lead to reduced costs.
Representatives from Lockheed and Raytheon Corp, the other major contractor in the upgrade program and maker of the AESA radar, were unavailable for comment yesterday.
FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION: The UK would continue to reinforce ties with Taiwan ‘in a wide range of areas’ as a part of a ‘strong unofficial relationship,’ a paper said The UK plans to conduct more freedom of navigation operations in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. British Member of Parliament Desmond Swayne said that the Royal Navy’s HMS Spey had passed through the Taiwan Strait “in pursuit of vital international freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.” Swayne asked Lammy whether he agreed that it was “proper and lawful” to do so, and if the UK would continue to carry out similar operations. Lammy replied “yes” to both questions. The
‘OF COURSE A COUNTRY’: The president outlined that Taiwan has all the necessary features of a nation, including citizens, land, government and sovereignty President William Lai (賴清德) discussed the meaning of “nation” during a speech in New Taipei City last night, emphasizing that Taiwan is a country as he condemned China’s misinterpretation of UN Resolution 2758. The speech was the first in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. It is the responsibility of Taiwanese citizens to stand united to defend their national sovereignty, democracy, liberty, way of life and the future of the next generation, Lai said. This is the most important legacy the people of this era could pass on to future generations, he said. Lai went on to discuss
AMENDMENT: Climate change is expected to increase the frequency of high-temperature days, affecting economic productivity and public health, experts said The Central Weather Administration (CWA) is considering amending the Meteorological Act (氣象法) to classify “high temperatures” as “hazardous weather,” providing a legal basis for work or school closures due to extreme heat. CWA Administrator Lu Kuo-chen (呂國臣) yesterday said the agency plans to submit the proposed amendments to the Executive Yuan for review in the fourth quarter this year. The CWA has been monitoring high-temperature trends for an extended period, and the agency contributes scientific data to the recently established High Temperature Response Alliance led by the Ministry of Environment, Lu said. The data include temperature, humidity, radiation intensity and ambient wind,
SECOND SPEECH: All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist the CCP, despite their differences, the president said President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday discussed how pro-Taiwan and pro-Republic of China (ROC) groups can agree to maintain solidarity on the issue of protecting Taiwan and resisting the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The talk, delivered last night at Taoyuan’s Hakka Youth Association, was the second in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. Citing Taiwanese democracy pioneer Chiang Wei-shui’s (蔣渭水) slogan that solidarity brings strength, Lai said it was a call for political parties to find consensus amid disagreements on behalf of bettering the nation. All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist