Tue, Nov 09, 1999 page1

• Tang confirms China's purchase of AWACS

  MILITARY BUILD-UP China is expected to take delivery of the first early-warning radar aircraft next year. Experts say the technology is ahead of anything Taiwan has, but it's the rest of Asia that should be concerned about the situation

  • By Brian Hsu / STAFF REPORTER
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  Minister of National Defense Tang Fei (--?/CHINESE>) yesterday confirmed media reports that China is going to take delivery of an early-warning radar aircraft, also known as AWACS, from Israel next year -- a development he said will pose a serious threat to the future security of Taiwan. But he added that Taiwan would not be the radar's only target.

  "The use of AWACS is basically designed for self-defense. But it can also be used as a command platform in an air offensive against Taiwan," Tang said.

  "Once China's AWACS force becomes operational in a couple of years, it could become a real threat to the security of the island," he said.

  Tang admitted that the AWACS system, which China is to purchase from Israel, is better than the E-2Ts currently in use in Taiwan because "they are larger and have more functions."

  China reportedly ordered a total of four AWACS aircraft from Israel with the delivery of the first aircraft due next year.

  Tang said China's establishment of its AWACS force is clearly not aimed solely at Taiwan, as China is continuously building up its military in an effort to one day become a global superpower.

  "It is the same with the ICBMs that China has. China can use these weapons of mass destruction against many countries, with Taiwan being included, of course," Tang said.

  The defense minister made the remarks at yesterday's session of the defense committee of the Legislature as part of his response to concerns from lawmakers over the reported AWACS deal between China and Israel.

  The first AWACS aircraft will be a Russian-made Ilyushin 76 transport plane, equipped with the Israeli-developed Phalcom radar system.

  As long ago as Oct. 1996, Israel was reported to be in negotiations with China to supply it with an advanced Phalcom radar system which would provide 360-degree coverage for fighters at a range of more than 200 nautical miles.

  During the early part of January 1997, a report in Defense News gave further details of the deal and said that Israel was determined to see the project go through despite objections from both the US and Russia. The Russians were initially reluctant to give up a plane to be modified for the Chinese.

  "The Phalcom radar is more advanced than its equivalent on the E-2Ts. The IL-76 also has a much longer range of around 6,000 kilometers," said Kevin Cheng (鄭繼??/CHINESE>) from Defense International magazine.

  "The Russian rescue team, which came to Taiwan in the wake of the 921 earthquake, arrived here in a IL-76," he added.

  "As Tang talked about the AWACS modified from the IL-76 as being superior to E-2Ts, he meant the larger size and longer range of the aircraft," Cheng said.

  "With a larger size, the Israeli-made AWACS can accommodate more equipment which will enhance their capabilities. The longer range also means that the aircraft can stay aloft longer than our planes," he said.

  Chang Li-teh (張立德), an editor at Defense Technology Monthly magazine, categorized the converted IL-76 as being equivalent to the E-3 in service in the US and a limited number of countries, including Japan.

  "China can use the AWACS to command and coordinate SU-27 jet fighters in an air battle as long as it can get vital data links for the plane from Israel," Chang said.

  "The E-2T is also designed with the same function, but four of the planes in service in Taiwan cannot carry out this function because of a lack of data links," he said.

  Military analyst Holmes Liao (1蠽??/CHINESE>) said he believed that Israel will sell data links for the AWACS as long as China can pay.

  "The Phalcom radar is effective not only against air targets but also against targets on the surface, such as fighting ships or sea-skimming missiles," Liao said.

  Su Ching-chiang (蘇進強), a former serviceman and now a military analyst, considers China's build-up of AWACS as less a threat to Taiwan than to countries like Japan and the US.

  "China does not necessarily have to use AWACS in an invasion of Taiwan because the airspace over the Taiwan Strait is too small for operations involving this kind of aircraft," Su said.

  "The military threat arising from China's establishment of its first AWACS force will be felt keenly by major military powers in the Asia-Pacific region," he said.

  For your information

  China's edge

  * The Phalcom radar system provides 360-degree coverage for fighters at a range of more than 200 nautical miles, which is rated superior to Taiwan's US-built system * The Russian-built IL-76 jet which carries the new system also has a much longer range of around 6,000 kilometers than Taiwan's E-2T * The Israelis will likely sell China the crucial data link needed to coordinate its Su-27 fighters, while the US is not likely to sell the same functionality to Taiwan
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