The navy will get the lion's share of the armaments procurement budget for the next five years, according to a five-year military buildup plan submitted to the Legislative Yuan by the Ministry of National Defense on Thursday.
The report says the military will spend NT$605.2 billion (US$17.9 billion) on arms procurement over the next five years, with the navy taking the biggest slice -- NT$98.8 billion. If the special budget for procurement of eight conventional submarines is factored into the equation, the navy's armaments purchase budget will hit its highest level since the 1980s.
According to the ministry report, the military will reduce the total number of servicemen by 45,000 over the next three years. As a result, the report says, the personnel costs will drop NT$5 billion in 2004, NT$6 billion in 2005 and another NT$6 billion in 2006. The military's annual personnel costs will then be kept at NT$120.7 billion per year.
The report estimates the military's total personnel costs for the next five years at NT$621.5 billion, accounting for 48.66 percent of the nation's total defense budget for the period.
According to the report, the air force will obtain the largest share of the total defense budget for the next five years at 24.55 percent, followed by the navy at 23.76 percent and the army at 18.92 percent.
In terms of arms procurement, the lion's share of the budget will be spent on information and electronic warfare equipment, accounting for 28 percent of the total. Air-combat weaponry systems will account for 18 percent of the budget; naval combat equipment, 14 percent; surface defense equipment, 12 percent; and educational training equipment, 3 percent.
The report also says the military will step up research and development of various types of guided missiles, anti-tank weapons and gunships, as well as unmanned aircraft and cutting edge nanotechnology and superconductivity defense technology.
The military will also strive to maintain supremacy in electronic warfare technology and to build up a comprehensive C4ISR architecture, the report says. Another priority is the establishment of an anti-submarine combat system and a coastal anti-submarine command center.
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
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