A shortage of experts has impeded the development of the military’s indigenous submarine prototype, an advanced trainer jet and an F-16 modernization program, a Ministry of National Defense official said on Friday.
The official made the remarks on condition of anonymity amid an initiative by the ministry to recruit more foreigners with technical expertise to work in Taiwan’s defense sector.
Another source of strain is that foreign technicians and advisers must depart from the country after completing their contract, resulting in constant disruptions, the official said.
Photo: Hung Chen-hung, Taipei Times
The ministry has identified avionics and shipbuilding, as well as shipborne weapons and equipment, and naval platform design, as areas with urgent need of fresh talent, the official said, without elaborating on how much newly hired foreigners would earn and what benefits they would receive.
However, the ministry would try to make their employment packages as attractive as possible, the official added.
“The ministry is offering qualified foreign experts high salaries to make sure that indigenous ship and aircraft programs will meet their delivery schedule, and targets for quality and quantity,” they said.
A preview of the policy showed that foreigners would be allowed to work in the sector if they have a doctorate or equivalent degree in a relevant field, as well as at least five years of experience in military aeronautics or shipbuilding.
The degree requirement would be waived for applicants for positions that Taiwan has problems filling, such as specialists in aviation mechanical or electrical engineering, process engineering, project management, or research and development, it showed.
Also exempt would be specialists with five years of experience in shipborne weapons, equipment and platform design, including performance, structure, propulsion, electrical systems, command and control, auxiliary machinery and outfitting, the document showed.
The positions that could be filled by foreigners would be identified by the ministry or other defense-related agencies based on urgency, it showed.
Taiwan is gearing up to celebrate the New Year at events across the country, headlined by the annual countdown and Taipei 101 fireworks display at midnight. Many of the events are to be livesteamed online. See below for lineups and links: Taipei Taipei’s New Year’s Party 2026 is to begin at 7pm and run until 1am, with the theme “Sailing to the Future.” South Korean girl group KARA is headlining the concert at Taipei City Hall Plaza, with additional performances by Amber An (安心亞), Nick Chou (周湯豪), hip-hop trio Nine One One (玖壹壹), Bii (畢書盡), girl group Genblue (幻藍小熊) and more. The festivities are to
Auckland rang in 2026 with a downtown fireworks display launched from New Zealand’s tallest structure, Sky Tower, making it the first major city to greet the new year at a celebration dampened by rain, while crowds in Taipei braved the elements to watch Taipei 101’s display. South Pacific countries are the first to bid farewell to 2025. Clocks struck midnight in Auckland, with a population of 1.7 million, 18 hours before the famous ball was to drop in New York’s Times Square. The five-minute display involved 3,500 fireworks launched from the 240m Sky Tower. Smaller community events were canceled across New Zealand’s
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday said it is closely monitoring developments in Venezuela, and would continue to cooperate with democratic allies and work together for regional and global security, stability, and prosperity. The remarks came after the US on Saturday launched a series of airstrikes in Venezuela and kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who was later flown to New York along with his wife. The pair face US charges related to drug trafficking and alleged cooperation with gangs designated as terrorist organizations. Maduro has denied the allegations. The ministry said that it is closely monitoring the political and economic situation
‘SLICING METHOD’: In the event of a blockade, the China Coast Guard would intercept Taiwanese ships while its navy would seek to deter foreign intervention China’s military drills around Taiwan this week signaled potential strategies to cut the nation off from energy supplies and foreign military assistance, a US think tank report said. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) conducted what it called “Justice Mission 2025” exercises from Monday to Tuesday in five maritime zones and airspace around Taiwan, calling them a warning to “Taiwanese independence” forces. In a report released on Wednesday, the Institute for the Study of War said the exercises effectively simulated blocking shipping routes to major port cities, including Kaohsiung, Keelung and Hualien. Taiwan would be highly vulnerable under such a blockade, because it
RSS