Taiwan has become the first country to make an international purchase of the Block III Longbow Fire Control Radar (FCR), a powerful target acquisition and prioritization system and a key component of the AH-64D Apache helicopter.
This was made official in a Lockheed Martin Corp press release on Wednesday, which stated that Longbow Limited Liability Co, a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman Corp, had received a US$181 million contract from the US Army for AH-64D Apache Block III Longbow systems.
According to the press release, the contract includes the first international purchase of the Block III Longbow Fire Control Radar (FCR), for a total of 15 Block III Longbow FCR systems.
Photo: Boeing Web site
The Boeing Co-made Apaches are part of a US$6.4 billion arms package notified to US Congress in October 2008. The 30 attack helicopters will cost Taiwan an estimated US$2.5 billion and will supplement the AH-1W Super Cobra that has been used by the Taiwanese army since 1993. The notification also included 1,000 AGM-114L Longbow Hellfire missiles and 66 M299 Hellfire Longbow missile launchers.
Wednesday’s announcement represents the first batch of Longbow radar systems for Taiwan, with orders for the remaining 15 expected to be placed sometime in the future.
“The Longbow Apache is the world’s premier attack helicopter and the FCR is one of the key elements that make it that way,” Colonel Shane Openshaw, US Army project manager for the Apache helicopters, was quoted as saying.
The FCR provides all-terrain and all-weather detection, location, classification and prioritization of multiple air and ground targets, the Web site says. As it is mounted atop the helicopter’s main rotor, the FCR enhances the Apache’s ability to acquire and track targets without being detected. The Longbow FCR integrates with the Hellfire missile, enhancing the Apache’s lethality fourfold and increasing its survivability sevenfold, the release says.
The first Apache is scheduled for delivery in October. Taiwan’s acquisition of the world’s most advanced combat helicopter is part of a project codenamed Tian Ying, or “Sky Eagle.”
The Chinese military has built landing bridge ships designed to expand its amphibious options for a potential assault on Taiwan, but their combat effectiveness is limited due to their high vulnerability, a defense expert said in an analysis published on Monday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said that the deployment of such vessels as part of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s East Sea Fleet signals a strong focus on Taiwan. However, the ships are highly vulnerable to precision strikes, which means they could be destroyed before they achieve their intended
The first two F-16V Bock 70 jets purchased from the US are expected to arrive in Taiwan around Double Ten National Day, which is on Oct. 10, a military source said yesterday. Of the 66 F-16V Block 70 jets purchased from the US, the first completed production in March, the source said, adding that since then three jets have been produced per month. Although there were reports of engine defects, the issue has been resolved, they said. After the jets arrive in Taiwan, they must first pass testing by the air force before they would officially become Taiwan’s property, they said. The air force
GLOBAL: Although Matsu has limited capacity for large numbers of domestic tourists, it would be a great high-end destination for international travelers, an official said Lienchiang County’s (Matsu) unique landscape and Cold War history give it great potential to be marketed as a destination for international travelers, Tourism Administration Director General Chen Yu-hsiu (陳玉秀) said at the weekend. Tourism officials traveled to the outlying island for the Matsu Biennial, an art festival that started on Friday to celebrate Matsu’s culture, history and landscape. Travelers to Matsu, which lies about 190km northwest of Taipei, must fly or take the state-run New Taima passenger ship. However, flights are often canceled during fog season from April to June. Chen spoke about her vision to promote Matsu as a tourist attraction in
PAWSITIVE IMPACT: A shop owner said that while he adopted cats to take care of rodents, they have also attracted younger visitors who also buy his dried goods In Taipei’s Dadaocheng (大稻埕), cats lounging in shops along Dihua Street do more than nap amid the scent of dried seafood. Many have become beloved fixtures who double as photography models, attracting visitors and helping boost sales in one of the capital’s most historic quarters. A recent photo contest featuring more than a dozen shop cats drew more than 2,200 submissions, turning everyday cat-spotting into a friendly competition that attracted amateur and professional photographers. “It’s rare to see cats standing, so when it suddenly did, it felt like a lucky cat,” said Sabrina Hsu (徐淳蔚), who won the NT$10,000 top prize in
RSS