To enhance the air force's ability to launch fighter planes after air strikes or missile attacks by China against Taiwan's airfields, the military plans to buy a vertical take-off and landing aircraft from the US, military sources told the Taipei Times yesterday.
The US government has agreed in principle to the deal, but the short/vertical takeoff and landing fighter plane it intends to sell to Taiwan is not the type being asked for, sources said.
The aircraft Taiwan is interested in is the AV-8B, but the US only wants to sell an earlier version of the aircraft series -- the AV-8A.
If able to acquire the AV-8Bs, the military plans to buy around 16 to 18 of the aircraft to form an air arm of the navy.
Problems lying ahead for the planned purchase are not just about whether the US is willing to provide Taiwan with what it really wants -- but have much to do with the navy's budget.
The navy has prepared a huge budget for the purchase of four yet-to-be-approved AEGIS destroyers from the US, leaving little extra money for other expensive items, sources said.
In addition, if the navy gets too large a share of the military budget, it will interfere with other projects, such as post-delivery training and maintenance for F-16 fighter planes, they said.
Under such tight budget conditions, the navy may eventually accept the US offer of older but cheaper AV-8As, instead of the desired AV-8Bs.
"The main attraction of the AV-8 series for the navy is their vertical takeoff and landing capability. They are expected to remain functional should air strikes or missile attacks be launched by China against Taiwan's military airfields," said Chang Li-teh (張立德), an editor at Defense Technology Monthly magazine.
"But the AV-8A does not have any radar to guide it in engagement with enemy planes. The AV-8B has. It can even be equipped with medium-range air-to-air AIM-120 missiles to engage air threats beyond visual range," Chang said.
"An alternative option for the navy, if the US does not agree to sell the AV-8Bs, is to get permission from the US to modify the AV-8As to meet local demands. The navy can seek help from the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology (CIST) to convert the planes," Chang said.
Besides the AV-8B purchase plan, the navy has also shown interest in buying F-18 fighter planes for reconnaissance missions, said a defense official upon condition of anonymity.
"The F-18 deal is less likely to succeed than the plan to buy AV-8Bs. The navy isn't pushing as hard for the deal as it did some months ago," the official said.
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