Former Air Combat Command instructor Jason Liu (劉介岑), who recently took over as chairman of the Aerospace Industrial Development Corp (AIDC), said the aim of the company was to realize President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) ambition of producing high-end trainer aircraft in Taiwan.
During a speech in Shalu District (沙鹿), Greater Taichung, early last month upon the delivery of the first batch of upgraded F-CK-1 “Ching Kuo” Indigenous Defense Fighter (IDF) aircraft, Ma said he had instructed the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the AIDC to work together to develop high-end trainer aircraft.
Although previously serving as an instructor at the Air Combat Command, Liu also participated in the development, production and evaluation of the IDF and was in close contact with the Aerospace Industrial Development Center, the AIDC’s forerunner, as director of the Ministry of National Defense’s Department of Resources and director of the Air Force General Headquarters’ Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Planning.
The AIDC will conduct research for the Taiwanese military, Liu said.
Vice Minister of Economic Affairs Lin Sheng-chung (林聖忠), one of the officials overseeing the handover of the AIDC from former chairman Shung Yeou-kuang (邢有光) to Liu, said he hoped that Liu would lead AIDC in the attempt to develop high-end trainer aircraft and praised Shung’s tenure as AIDC chairman.
Shung led the AIDC through the global financial crisis and pulled the AIDC out of debt and into profit, Lin said, adding that profits reached new heights every year under Shung.
Shung thanked the employees of the AIDC and the Ministry of Economic Affairs for their support, but called for more support for the research and development of high-end trainers.
Translated by Jake Chung, Staff Writer
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