The Legislative Yuan’s Budget Center has sounded the alarm over delays in the navy’s next-generation guided-missile frigate program, a source said.
The navy received NT$227 million (US$8.14 million) for the new warships over the past two fiscal years, a source familiar with a center report to lawmakers said.
The military’s top research body, the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology, failed to meet program development milestones necessary to be awarded a contract, the source said, citing the report.
Photo: Aaron Tu, Taipei Times
This fiscal year, the navy spent only 5.8 percent of the NT$106 million allotted to the program, the source said.
Although the program’s budget for the next fiscal year has been drastically reduced from NT$1.06 billion to NT$5.72 million, the delivery schedule remains unchanged for the first frigate, the source said.
The military should improve how it evaluates the viability of armament proposals before requesting funding, the source said.
A navy spokesperson said that the COVID-19 pandemic had resulted in delays, but that project managers were working to improve program efficiency.
The naval component of the indigenous national defense program is crucial to the nation’s ability to defend its near seas, the spokesperson said, adding that the navy would spare no effort to complete the warships called for by the indigenous shipbuilding program.
The Ministry of National Defense’s budget plans show that the navy was to receive NT$24.55 billion to have the first frigate constructed by 2026.
The frigates would have state-of-the-art combat systems comparable in performance to the US’ Aegis combat system, the navy said.
The 4,500-tonne ships would use vertical systems capable of launching Tien Chien II and Hai Kung III surface-to-air missiles, it said.
The ships are necessary to fill a capability gap between the nation’s aging frigates and those of potential adversaries, such as China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy, it said.
The frigates would be used on maritime patrols to the nation’s outlying islands, as well as for protecting vital sea lanes and fisheries, escorting convoys and supporting naval drills, the navy said.
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
Carrefour Taiwan is to begin using a new name from the start of July, but it cannot divulge the name until then, the chairman of the supermarket chain's parent company said today. President Chain Store Co chairman Lo Chih-hsien (羅智先) was asked by reporters after a shareholders' meeting to confirm whether the company has settled on a new name for the supermarket brand. In March, the government-registered name of two Carrefour Taiwan branches was quietly changed to "Le Chia Kang" (樂家康) in Chinese, raising speculation that has been selected as the name. Lo said that because of local regulations and contractual obligations, the
The Philippines would likely be involved in any conflict over Taiwan due to its proximity to the democracy claimed by China, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said, reiterating a stance that risks angering Beijing. “In the Philippines, we do not have a choice because Taiwan is so close to the Philippines and we have almost 200,000 Filipino nationals living and working in Taiwan,” Marcos said in an interview with Japanese media in Manila on Monday. The Philippine leader’s comments come ahead of a state visit to Japan next week, where he is to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to discuss security
RSS