Taiwan continues to hope for jet fighters with stealth, short take-off and vertical landing capabilities, a senior defense official said on Tuesday, adding that the US-made F-35 is one option that fits the bill.
There is “a need” for higher-performance combat airplanes, said Major General Chang Wen-shuo (張文碩), Deputy Director-General of the Ministry of Defense’s Department of Strategic Planning, at a ministry press conference.
Both the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning, both made by Lockheed Martin, are on the purchase list, Chang said, adding that “necessity” is the top consideration.
“The weapons equipment and systems the country wants are those which meet the Republic of China’s [ROC] requirements for defensive warfare, particularly innovative and asymmetric warfare,” he said.
Asymmetric warfare is an important tactic for Taiwan’s armed forces, which face the scenario of unequal military resources in the event of a regional conflict — most likely against China.
When purchasing equipment, it is not “what I want” that matters, but rather “what capabilities” are available, Chang said.
Asked if his ministry had voiced the intention to the US, Chang said communications between his ministry and the US are “unhindered” and they have continued to talk about the issue.
In an earlier briefing, Chang said the ROC is facing a rising air threat as China continues to increase its military force by producing advanced J-20 and J-31 fighters and mapping out plans to purchase Su-35 fighters and S-400 air defense missiles.
He said that Taiwan is looking at any aircraft that can outperform its upgraded F-16A/B jets.
Yangmingshan National Park authorities yesterday urged visitors to respect public spaces and obey the law after a couple was caught on a camera livestream having sex at the park’s Qingtiangang (擎天崗) earlier in the day. The Shilin Police Precinct in Taipei said it has identified a suspect and his vehicle registration number, and would summon him for questioning. The case would be handled in accordance with public indecency charges, it added. The couple entered the park at about 11pm on Thursday and began fooling around by 1am yesterday, the police said, adding that the two were unaware of the park’s all-day live
Yangmingshan National Park’s Qingtiangang (擎天崗) nature area has gone viral after a park livestream camera observed a couple in the throes of intimate congress, which was broadcast live on YouTube, drawing large late-night crowds and sparking a backlash over noise, bright lights and disruption to wildlife habitat. The area’s livestream footage appeared to show a couple engaging in sexual activity on a picnic table in the park on Friday last week, with the uncensored footage streamed publicly online. The footage quickly spread across social media, prompting a tide of visitors to travel to the site to “check in” and recreate the
Fast food chain McDonald's is to raise prices by up to NT$5 on some products at its restaurants across Taiwan, starting on Wednesday next week, the company announced today. The prices of all extra value meals and sharing boxes are to increase by NT$5, while breakfast combos and creamy corn soup would go up by NT$3, the company said in a statement. The price of the main items of those meals, if ordered individually, would remain the same. Meanwhile, the price of a medium-sized lemon iced tea and hot cappuccino would rise by NT$3, extra dipping sauces for chicken nuggets would go up
Minister of Digital Affairs Lin Yi-ching (林宜敬) yesterday cited regulatory issues and national security concerns as an expert said that Taiwan is among the few Asian regions without Starlink. Lin made the remarks on Facebook after funP Innovation Group chief executive officer Nathan Chiu (邱繼弘) on Friday said Taiwan and four other countries in Asia — China, North Korea, Afghanistan and Syria — have no access to Starlink. Starlink has become available in 166 countries worldwide, including Ukraine, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, in the six years since it became commercial, he said. While China and North Korea block Starlink, Syria is not
RSS