The US government has approved an export license for an advanced targeting tool, used to identify targets and guide bombs, so that a live demonstration can be given at the Taipei Aerospace and Defense Technology Exhibition, a government source said yesterday.
The Ministry of National Defense had sent many requests to Washington for it to sell a state-of-the-art forward-looking infrared (FLIR) targeting pod — the FLIR Star SAFIRE 380-HD — but has been turned down every time, the source said on condition of anonymity.
The granting of the license by the US government came as a complete surprise, the source said, adding that targeting pod maker FLIR Systems is to stage a live demonstration at the Taipei Aerospace and Defense Technology Exhibition, which opens on Thursday.
The move by the US suggests it might be willing to sell Taiwan the targeting pods at some point, the source added.
Considered by experts to be the most advanced equipment of its kind, the pod is utilized by the US Navy on Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers and Independence-class littoral combat ships, the source said.
The US Coast Guard use the pod on long-range search aircraft, according to the source, as the pod’s thermal imaging enables weapons platforms to detect and engage targets day or night and in all weather conditions, also facilitating search and rescue missions.
The Coast Guard Administration utilizes several types of SeaFLIR III+ pods on 3,000-tonne and 1,000-tonne patrol vessels, a contractor, who asked to remain anonymous, said.
New 600-tonne, 1,000-tonne and 4,000-tonne vessels under construction are to be equipped with more advanced pods — the SeaFLIR 280-HD — that outperform those found on Republic of China Navy warships, the contractor said.
Meanwhile, defense expo organizers said that the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology is to display improved models of two uncrewed aerial vehicles: the Jiangshian anti-radiation drone and the Tengyun long-range armed drone.
The organizers added that a cooperative to test and evaluate the military’s indigenous aviation program is to be formally announced.
The cooperative is made up of 11 foundations and government groups that aim to secure international certification for Taiwan’s aerospace industry, they said.
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
SIX SUBSIDIES: The monthly allowance for older farmers is to increase to NT$10,000, and NT$5,000 is to be given to homemakers under the national pension system, Lai said The government is to implement major welfare policies for disadvantaged groups, including raising the monthly allowance for older farmers to NT$10,000 and providing homemakers with NT$5,000 per month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks during a visit to Wangling Temple in Chiayi County, saying that the planned increases were being introduced amid economic growth and an increase in tax revenue. Touting a policy, in which the government plans to provide a monthly allowance of NT$5,000 for every child under the age of 18 in a bid to address Taiwan’s low birthrate, Lai said that if received for the
STAY COOL: The HPA recommended that people stay hydrated, use air-conditioning or fans while indoors, wear loose-fitting clothes and walk in the shade while outdoors Employers must implement measures such as installing cooling equipment, and providing drinking water and rest breaks for outdoor workers starting from Monday next week, the Taipei Department of Labor said on Sunday. Employers who fail to comply could face fines of NT$30,000 to NT$300,000 under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (職業安全衛生法), the department said. Businesses in Taipei employing fewer than 100 workers, as well as registered self-employed workers with labor insurance coverage, could receive on-site assessments and guidance from occupational safety consultants to help them apply for central government subsidies to implement or improve heat-protection measures, it said. Under the Ministry of
ISOLATION: The outposts would serve as support and backup bases, forcing US forces to either face China head-on or reroute, increasing travel time and operational costs China’s outposts in the South China Sea could be used to delay and constrain foreign forces during a conflict in the Taiwan Strait, giving Beijing a critical window to carry out amphibious landing and blockade operations, a report said. The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) forward operating bases on islands and reclaimed features in the South China Sea could delay foreign forces long enough for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to secure a key 48-to-72-hour window in the Taiwan Strait, a report commissioned by the Mainland Affairs Council found. The report, conducted by the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, examined
RSS