A simulator developed by the military-run Chun Shan Institute of Science and Technology for the domestically-built IDF jet has won international recognition and is ready to be exported, the institute said yesterday.
The international recognition comes in part from the inclusion of the IDF simulator in a yearbook published by the world-renowned Jane's Information Group, the institute said. The yearbook is titled the 2000-2001 Jane's Simulation and Training Systems.
The institute made public the recognition by Jane's in an internal publication issued early this month.
A spokesman for the Chun Shan Institute, who preferred not to be named, said the institute is pleased to receive recognition for the simulator, which was developed without outside assistance.
"It signifies that our research and production capabilities have reached international standards. It is another example of our ability to develop high-tech products on our own," the spokesman said.
"Besides boosting our reputation, we also hope that Jane's publication will help us find buyers for the IDF simulator. Though the simulator is designed for the IDF, it can be modified for use by other types of fighter planes," he said.
The institute official admitted, however, that it will not be easy for Taiwan to enter the international weaponry market since some countries will not favor sharing a piece of the pie.
The IDF simulator, formally called a unit training device, was successfully developed by the institute in 1996. It is the first of its kind created in Taiwan.
It was initially installed at Taichung's Chingchuankang air base for use by IDF pilots there. It has since been moved to a military site in Taichung outside the air base.
The device was introduced publicly at Taipei's air show in 1997 and Singapore's air show in 1998.
Chang Li-teh (
"At first, some US arms manufacturers were highly skeptical about Taiwan's plans to produce an IDF simulator on its own. Now we have made it. We have even won international recognition for the product," Chang said.
"It is technically difficult to develop a flight simulator for an advanced fighter plane. The IDF simulator is similar in some ways to the one the US gave Taiwan for the F-16 A/B fighters," he said.
"The institute may have been inspired somewhat by the F-16 simulator in its development of the IDF simulator. But as far as I know, the institute did develop the IDF simulator on its own," he said.
Chang also agreed with the institute spokesman, saying the company may be faced with a number of difficulties in its efforts to promote the IDF simulator.
"The international weaponry market is dominated by a few countries. These countries are sure to be unhappy about the emergence of a new competitor," he said.
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