The fatal crash of an Air Force F-5F plane has sparked concern about the safety of the aging jets and calls for the purchase advanced F-16 aircraft from the US.
The twin-seat fighter/trainer crashed into a field in Chiayi County over the weekend, killing one officer and leaving another critically injured, the Ministry of National Defense said.
While the cause of the accident was not immediately clear, legislators have called for the purchase of dozens of US-made F-16 C/D Block 50 fighters to replace the F-5 fleet which have been in service for three decades.
In addition to some 60 F-5 Tigers, the air force consists of so-called "second-generation" aircraft -- 146 less sophisticated F-16A/B fighters, 128 locally produced Indigenous Defense Fighters and 56 French-made Mirage 2000-5s.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Hsueh Ling (薛凌) said that 32 pilots had been killed in as many accidents over the past 32 years, adding that "it is ridiculous to continue operating such aircraft, risking the lives of pilots."
DPP Legislator Lee Wen-chung (
"The proposal is feasible," said Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Shuai Hua-ming (
"They could be used to help reinforce combat capability before the so-called `third-generation' fighters join the air force," he said.
Ministry Spokesman Wu Chi-fang (
The issue was discussed last month when military officers visited Washington, officials said.
A tropical depression east of the Philippines became a tropical storm early yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, less than a week after a typhoon barreled across the nation. The agency issued an advisory at 3:30am stating that the 22nd tropical storm, named Yinxing, of the Pacific typhoon season formed at 2am. As of 8am, the storm was 1,730km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, with a 100km radius. It was moving west-northwest at 32kph, with maximum sustained winds of 83kph and gusts of up to 108kph. Based on its current path, the storm is not expected to hit Taiwan, CWA
Residents have called on the Taipei City Government to reconsider its plan to demolish a four-decades-old pedestrian overpass near Daan Forest Park. The 42-year-old concrete and steel structure that serves as an elevated walkway over the intersection of Heping and Xinsheng roads is to be closed on Tuesday in preparation for demolition slated for completion by the end of the month. However, in recent days some local residents have been protesting the planned destruction of the intersection overpass that is rendered more poetically as “sky bridge” in Chinese. “This bridge carries the community’s collective memory,” said a man surnamed Chuang
A tropical depression east of the Philippines became a tropical storm earlier today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The 22nd tropical storm, named Yinxing, in this year's Pacific typhoon season formed at 2am, the CWA said. As of 8am, the storm was 1,730km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻) with a 100km radius, it said. It was moving west-northwest at 32kph, with maximum sustained winds of 83kph and gusts of up to 108kph. Based on its current path, the storm is not expected to hit Taiwan, CWA meteorologist Huang En-hung (黃恩宏) said. However, a more accurate forecast would be made on Wednesday, when Yinxing is
NEW DESTINATIONS: Marketing campaigns to attract foreign travelers have to change from the usual promotions about Alishan and Taroko Gorge, the transport minister said The number of international tourists visiting Taiwan is estimated to top 8 million by the end of this year, Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Shi-kai (陳世凱) said yesterday, adding that the ministry has not changed its goal of attracting 10 million foreign travelers this year. Chen made the remarks at a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee to brief lawmakers about the ministry’s plan to boost foreign visitor arrivals. Last month, Chen told the committee that the nation might attract only 7.5 million tourists from overseas this year and that when the ministry sets next year’s goal, it would not include