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Nation's F-16s up to heavy-bombing task, air force says
LAND-ATTACK DRILLS:
The locally built IDF jet failed in attempts to deliver 2,000lb bombs, but exercises last month show F-16s are capable of carrying out the job
By Brian Hsu
STAFF REPORTER
Saturday, Nov 30, 2002, Page 3
The air force's F-16 fighter planes successfully hit targets with 2,000lb bombs during exercises last month, defense sources said yesterday.
The exercise was the most recent involving the Mk-84 general purpose 2,000lb bomb, which is the heaviest of its kind in the air force's inventory.
The successful results mark progress in the air force's land-attack capabilities, which would need to be called upon in the event of war with China.
The air force has plenty of work to do on this front as its training with such heavy bombs is in its early stages.
Erich Shih (¬I§µÞ³), a senior editor with Defence International magazine, said the F-16 is the only fighter in service capable of deploying 2,000lb bombs.
"A 2,000lb bomb is very powerful against land targets. It can level to the ground a large concrete building," Shih said.
Last month's Mk-84 practice was executed by the Hualien-based F-16 fighter wing. It is not known where the exercises took place.
Before the exercises last month, the air force had tried the domestically built IDF fighter for practice with the Mk-84, sources said.
The result was a disaster as an IDF was damaged when it attempted to drop the bomb. The damage was caused by the failure of the pilot to release the bomb at the right time.
The plane was also faulted for being unable to carry such a heavy load. The IDF was not designed for bombing missions.
Former of national defense Tang Fei (ð¸) said in public two years ago that the air force had insisted on buying the F-16 mainly because of its multiple functions and superb combat capabilities.
The F-16 can execute both air combat and land-attack missions. The air force also plans to use the plane for reconnaissance.
In related news, the air force has completed the installation of an electromagnetic emissions detector, called the ASTAC ELINT pod, on some of its French-made Mirage 2000-5 fighters.
The pod can help Mirage pilots collect data about radars of various types, especially those of the enemy.
The air force is also seeking to upgrade the radar of the Mirage 2000-5 so that the plane can detect cruise missiles skimming just above the sea.
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