The air force is considering replacing the French-made life vest used by Mirage 2000-5 fighter pilots with a US-made vest that can automatically inflate when the wearer is immersed in water, air force chief General Chen Chao-ming (
"The manually operated French-made life vest won't help save the pilot if the pilot loses consciousness as he hits the water in a crash. The US-made life jacket can inflate automatically to keep the pilot from drowning," Chen said.
The general said this is why the air force is considering replacing its stock of French-made vests with their US counterparts.
Memorial service
Chen made the remarks yesterday in response to media inquiries as he attended a memorial service for an air force pilot killed in the Nov. 14 crash of a Mirage 2000-5 off Hsinchu's coast.
Some news reports said the French-made life vests contributed to the death of Lieutenant Colonel Chang Chien-hsiang (張建翔), although air force investigations did not conclude that Chang died by drowning. Initial investigations indicated that Chang had already suffered serious injuries before he plunged into the water.
Chen yesterday did not make a connection between Chang's death and the life vest, but his revelation of the plan to replace the French-made vest suggests a link between the two.
Chen also announced that all Mirage 2000-5 fighters, which have been grounded for safety checks following the Nov. 14 crash, will resume training flights today. The crash was found to have been caused by engine failure.
All 57 Mirage fighters have been checked thoroughly over the past 11 days at their base in Hsinchu.
Chen did not say whether any problems were found during the comprehensive safety check.
Erich Shih (
A poor choice
"The French-made life vest should never have been adopted. It is a design which does not suit the needs of Taiwan. In an environment where fighter pilots face the constant risk of having to jump into water in the event of a crash, auto-inflate life vests are much more practical," Shih said.
Shih also pointed out what he called another design flaw with the Mirage 2000-5 -- the absence of an on-board emergency power unit (EPU).
"The F-16 fighter plane has an EPU, while the Mirage 2000-5 does not. Without an EPU, the Mirage 2000-5 does not have extra power to restart its engine if the engine stops operating in mid-air," he said.
A series of crashes involving the nation's foreign-made fighter planes has led some to point to the the locally made IDF jet as the air force's safest plane, with an unrivaled record of zero crashes since entering service in 1994.
SECURITY: As China is ‘reshaping’ Hong Kong’s population, Taiwan must raise the eligibility threshold for applications from Hong Kongers, Chiu Chui-cheng said When Hong Kong and Macau citizens apply for residency in Taiwan, it would be under a new category that includes a “national security observation period,” Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. President William Lai (賴清德) on March 13 announced 17 strategies to counter China’s aggression toward Taiwan, including incorporating national security considerations into the review process for residency applications from Hong Kong and Macau citizens. The situation in Hong Kong is constantly changing, Chiu said to media yesterday on the sidelines of the Taipei Technology Run hosted by the Taipei Neihu Technology Park Development Association. With
CARROT AND STICK: While unrelenting in its military threats, China attracted nearly 40,000 Taiwanese to over 400 business events last year Nearly 40,000 Taiwanese last year joined industry events in China, such as conferences and trade fairs, supported by the Chinese government, a study showed yesterday, as Beijing ramps up a charm offensive toward Taipei alongside military pressure. China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view. Taiwanese security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing’s influence campaigns to sway public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of
A US Marine Corps regiment equipped with Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) is set to participate in the upcoming Balikatan 25 exercise in the Luzon Strait, marking the system’s first-ever deployment in the Philippines. US and Philippine officials have separately confirmed that the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) — the mobile launch platform for the Naval Strike Missile — would take part in the joint exercise. The missiles are being deployed to “a strategic first island chain chokepoint” in the waters between Taiwan proper and the Philippines, US-based Naval News reported. “The Luzon Strait and Bashi Channel represent a critical access
Pope Francis is be laid to rest on Saturday after lying in state for three days in St Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met yesterday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College