Lockheed Martin, the world's largest defense and aerospace systems manufacturer, yesterday inaugurated a new branch in Taiwan in hopes of grabbing a piece of the potentially lucrative military aircraft maintenance market.
The company is positioning itself to take advantage of potentially huge business opportunities which will come with the conversion of Taiwan's air force repair depots into government-owned company-operated (GOCO) facilities. The military will maintain ownership of the facilities while private companies will carry out the repair and maintenance work.
Strategic alliances
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Service Taiwan (LMAST), the defense industry giant's new branch in Taiwan, has formed a strategic alliance with seven local companies to secure its place in the military aircraft repair and maintenance market.
The strategic alliance was formally inked yesterday as representatives from LMAST and the local companies signed an agreement at a ceremony held in Taipei.
The ceremony also marked the opening of LMAST.
"The primary objective of Lockheed Martin is to be a major player and contributor to the growth and development of Taiwan's aviation and defense services industry," said Daniel Patterson, president of Lockheed Martin aircraft and logistics centers, at the ceremony.
"The LMAST will provide assistance to Taiwan companies in developing overhaul and repair capabilities [so that] your air force's aircraft [can] reduce dependence on foreign suppliers," Patterson said.
"In partnership with Taiwan and international companies, we will assist the Ministry of National Defense in converting the ROC air force repair depots to GOCO facilities."
Taiwan is one of Lockheed Martin's most important customers, having a large fleet of Lockheed Martin military aircraft including F-16 A/B fighter jets and C-130 transport aircraft.
Lockheed Martin estimates that Taiwan's military maintenance market will have a value of US$500 million by 2005.
The introduction of repair and maintenance facilities from Lockheed Martin is part of the Taiwan government's plan to make the country become a regional maintenance center for both military and commercial aircraft.
It is estimated that the aircraft maintenance market in the Asia-Pacific region will reach US$800 million by 2005 and that with Lockheed Martin's assistance, the Taiwan industry could win business valued at US$600 million, according to information provided by Lockheed Martin.
Local industry concerns
Despite the bright prospects for the business, there are worries that the government-owned Aerospace Industry Development Corporation (AIDC), the developer of the IDF fighter plane, might not be able to survive against competition from the LMAST-dominated alliance in the military aircraft maintenance market.
The AIDC is not among the seven local companies which formed a strategic alliance with Lockheed Martin.
An official with AIDC, who declined to be identified, told the Taipei Times that the corporation is concerned about the potential impact the LMAST alliance will have on them.
"Lockheed Martin has to decide on whether they want to be a partner or compete with us. We are still engaged in talks with them on the matter. Whatever the results, our IDF maintenance market is not to be given away," the official said.
"According to Article 22 of National Defense Law, military aircraft maintenance can be done only by domestic com-panies. But we can not stop Lockheed Martin from setting foot in the market because F-16 maintenance is beyond our capabilities," he said.
The government is aiming to recruit 1,096 foreign English teachers and teaching assistants this year, the Ministry of Education said yesterday. The foreign teachers would work closely with elementary and junior-high instructors to create and teach courses, ministry official Tsai Yi-ching (蔡宜靜) said. Together, they would create an immersive language environment, helping to motivate students while enhancing the skills of local teachers, she said. The ministry has since 2021 been recruiting foreign teachers through the Taiwan Foreign English Teacher Program, which offers placement, salary, housing and other benefits to eligible foreign teachers. Two centers serving northern and southern Taiwan assist in recruiting and training
RESTAURANT POISONING? Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Victor Wang at a press conference last night said this was the first time bongkrekic acid was detected in Taiwan An autopsy discovered bongkrekic acid in a specimen collected from a person who died from food poisoning after dining at the Malaysian restaurant chain Polam Kopitiam, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said at a news conference last night. It was the first time bongkrekic acid was detected in Taiwan, Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Victor Wang (王必勝) said. The testing conducted by forensic specialists at National Taiwan University was facilitated after a hospital voluntarily offered standard samples it had in stock that are required to test for bongkrekic acid, he said. Wang told the news conference that testing would continue despite
WIDE NET: Health officials said they are considering all possibilities, such as bongkrekic acid, while the city mayor said they have not ruled out the possibility of a malicious act of poisoning Two people who dined at a restaurant in Taipei’s Far Eastern Department Store Xinyi A13 last week have died, while four are in intensive care, the Taipei Department of Health said yesterday. All of the outlets of Malaysian vegetarian restaurant franchise Polam Kopitiam have been ordered to close pending an investigation after 11 people became ill due to suspected food poisoning, city officials told a news conference in Taipei. The first fatality, a 39-year-old man who ate at the restaurant on Friday last week, died of kidney failure two days later at the city’s Mackay Memorial Hospital. A 66-year-old man who dined
‘CARRIER KILLERS’: The Tuo Chiang-class corvettes’ stealth capability means they have a radar cross-section as small as the size of a fishing boat, an analyst said President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday presided over a ceremony at Yilan County’s Suao Harbor (蘇澳港), where the navy took delivery of two indigenous Tuo Chiang-class corvettes. The corvettes, An Chiang (安江) and Wan Chiang (萬江), along with the introduction of the coast guard’s third and fourth 4,000-tonne cutters earlier this month, are a testament to Taiwan’s shipbuilding capability and signify the nation’s resolve to defend democracy and freedom, Tsai said. The vessels are also the last two of six Tuo Chiang-class corvettes ordered from Lungteh Shipbuilding Co (龍德造船) by the navy, Tsai said. The first Tuo Chiang-class vessel delivered was Ta Chiang (塔江)