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F-16s, Mirages to be upgraded during delay of new jets

Taiwan plans to upgrade its F-16 and Mirage warplanes while waiting to introduce its third-generation fighter jets, a local newspaper said yesterday.

The Chinese-language China Times, quoting an unnamed air force source, said that Taiwan still hopes to buy JSF (Joint Strike Fighter) jets from the US, although it may take the government many years to get Washington to approve the purchase.

"The US has rejected Taiwan's request to participate in the four-stage development of JSF. So after JSF is launched and if the US approves the sale, Lockheed-Martin will not sell JSF until it has delivered the jets to the US and Japanese air forces. That means Taiwan won't be able to get JSF until after 2020," the China Times said.

The government has ruled out seeking to buy F-15s as its third-generation jets, the paper said. For the period until the introduction of its third-generation jets, Taiwan will rely on F-16s and Mirage 2000-5s.

The air force ordered 150 F-16 C/Ds and 60 Mirage 2000-5s in 1992 to form its second-generation fleet, which also includes 130 self-developed Indigenous Defense Fighter (IDF) jets.

Under the current plan, the China Times said, IDFs will cease to be used as fighter jets switching to a training role.

The airforce will seek to upgrade its F-16s and Mirages.
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