US suggests strategic purchase

US sources yesterday told the Taipei Times that high-level officials from the US Department of Defense will lead a delegation to Taiwan this summer. These US officials will discuss how to improve the nation's command-and-control military strength -- its command, control, communication, computer, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems.

They will also suggest that the government invest about US$3.5 billion (NT$121 billion) of its budgets for submarine purchases on its C4ISR systems, so as to improve its strategic strength.

During a briefing for a group of Taiwanese legislators earlier this week, Bush administration officials repeatedly stressed that Washington believes that Taipei should take the improvement of its C4ISR mechanisms as a defense priority in this phase.

According to Washington, the order of Taipei's arms purchases should be C4ISR improvement, missile defense and anti-submarine weapons. The US officials said that Washington will recommend that Taipei reprioritize its wish list, placing the strategizing system higher on the list, during the US official's visit.

Taiwan's request for diesel-powered submarines is not on the recommendation list. In fact, most of the high-ranking US defense officials advocate not pushing the submarine purchases forward.

According to the US officials, the submarine purchases can only deter China to a degree. So it's necessary for Taipei to improve its ability in anti-submarine warfare.

However, if Taiwan still insists on the purchases, the US will surely keep its promise.

The US officials said that the eight submarines are likely to cost about US$11.7 billion (NT$404.5 billion) over the next 15 years. The government should therefore consider adjusting the distribution of its resources.

Under the military's Posheng Project, the government is scheduled to spend about US$1.5 billion (NT$51.9 billion) on its C4ISR systems in the next six to eight years. The money is about half of the amount suggested by the US. Hence, Washington advises Taipei that it divert US$3.5 billion of its budget for the submarines to improve its C4ISR systems.

For example, some of the money for the submarines can be used to develop more Tien Kung(Sky Bow, 天弓) surface-to-air missiles and Hsiung Feng(Brave Wind, 雄風) anti-ship missiles. Thus, the money could be used more efficiently.

The Posheng Project was officially launched in January. It's the first stage of a long-term plan to construct the nation's overall C4ISR systems based on equipment that will be bought from the US.

According to Washington, it's urgent for Taipei to take its C4ISR improvement as a priority for the following reasons.

First, Beijing has already learned about the significance of C4ISR from the Persian Gulf War, and has invested heavily in them.

Second, Beijing has realized that "speed" is everything and that the nation with better C4ISR systems can make decisions faster.

Third, China's Minister of National Defense Cao Gangchuan (曹剛川) is also a technology expert, and has a complete plan to attack Taiwan's C4ISR systems.

The US officials reminded reporters that if Taipei hopes for Washington's assistance once a war breaks out across the Taiwan Strait, the island must actively improve its C4ISR systems so as to fully cooperate with the US.

They also revealed that Washington proposed a review on the island's C4ISR systems last year. But most of its suggestions were not accepted by Taiwan.

In fact, its recommendation list this year is mostly based on the previous report.

TRANSLATED BY EDDY CHANG