Defense industry sources yesterday denied a report filed last week that Taiwan had decided to drop a plan to purchase a second early-warning radar (EWR) from the US, saying the decision had been made several years ago.
Citing “military authorities,” Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported on Tuesday that the Ministry of National Defense had abandoned plans to add a second EWR to its inventory.
The story began more than a decade ago, when Taiwan launched efforts to improve its surveillance capabilities under what came to be known as the Surveillance Radar Program (SRP).
After four years of intense debate, in November 2003, a still-divided legislature agreed to set aside US$800 million for the acquisition of one EWR from the US. In March the following year, Washington responded with a US$1.77 billion notification to Congress, which provided an option for two ultra-high-frequency long-range EWRs.
US-based Raytheon Corp won a US$752 million contract in June 2005 for Taiwan’s first EWR, with construction in Leshan (樂山), Hsinchu County, beginning in 2009. With its 3,000km range and ability to track as many as 1,000 ballistic and air-breathing targets simultaneously, the by-now US$1 billion-plus EWR, which is expected to become operational by the end of this year, has been described as possibly the most powerful on the planet.
The project has not been without controversy over the years, primarily over rising construction and maintenance costs, with Raytheon requesting an additional US$200 million last year. Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lin Yu-fang (林郁方) last week called on the ministry to “stand tough in negotiating the price with the US,” adding that otherwise the radar could become “a pestering ‘money pit.’”
Despite the cost overruns, Taiwan has said it remains committed to the SRP.
According to last week’s AFP report, anger over rising costs nevertheless led to a decision to abandon plans to purchase a second radar system.
“The minister [of national defense] has said there won’t be another one,” an Air Force spokesman told AFP of the second radar, which would reportedly have been built near Greater Kaohsiung.
However, as reported in the C4ISR Journal and in an annual report by the Congressional Research Service, rather than being a recent decision taken by President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration, which critics have often accused of being soft on defense, Taiwan abandoned plans to acquire a second EWR in early 2007, when the Democratic Progressive Party was in power, though it had faced a KMT-dominated legislature at the time.
Part of the confusion comes from a misunderstanding of US congressional notifications on foreign arms sales, which do not oblige a client to purchase all the articles optioned in the notification, but only serve as a list of items that have been made available for purchase.
Asked to comment on the matter yesterday, a defense industry source confirmed that the decision not to procure a second EWR was made in 2007 and had nothing to do with recent developments.
“This is old news,” the source told the Taipei Times.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
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
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
RSS