The Executive Yuan has approved a plan to upgrade the National Airborne Service Corps’ fleet of Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin helicopters, a source said on Sunday.
The corps mostly operates Dauphins and Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters.
The Dauphins are 28 years old on average, with four of them already 30 years old.
Photo courtesy of the Coast Guard Administration
The helicopters’ age is becoming a problem, as fewer suppliers carry parts for repair, the source said, adding that the Executive Yuan approved a plan to upgrade nine helicopters for NT$3.48 billion (US$108.44 million).
The plan was meant to be implemented over a five-year period from next year to 2029, but since the Ministry of the Interior’s budget for the fiscal year does not include funds for the upgrades, the plan would likely be implemented beginning from 2026, the source said.
The corps procured the Dauphins in separate allotments — 1980, 1982 and 1988 — meaning the fleet comprises N1, N2 and N3 variants of the helicopters, they said.
“The different configurations of helicopters means they have different characteristics for operation, safety and training,” the source said.
Citing examples, the source said they have different GPS systems, automatic flight control systems, and cockpit configurations.
“In emergency and high-risk operating environments, these different configurations must be learned and memorized in a very short time,” they said.
The Dauphin is used by government agencies in 14 countries, and by militaries in 17 countries. It has a top speed of 306kph and a range of 650km.
It is often used by coast guard and rescue agencies as its equipment includes a search and rescue radar, night vision system, rescue hoist, searchlight, megaphone and GPS.
It is typically used to perform medium-to-low-altitude — less than 8,000 feet (2.4km) — and long-range maritime operations.
Manufacturers are phasing out production of replacement parts for Dauphin models.
A list provided by Airbus, one of Dauphin’s manufacturers, last year listed 59 components that are becoming increasingly scarce.
“The disappearance of these components would make the helicopters unsafe to operate, particularly as installed parts deteriorate over time,” the source said.
“Therefore, there is an urgent need to replace the oldest of the Dauphins in the corps’ fleet,” the sourse said.
UPGRADE: The Kang Ding-class frigate is replacing its Chaparall missiles with Tien Chien II and Hua Yang VLS, which would provide it with long-range, 360° air defense Taiwan plans to produce 1,200 to 1,376 Hai Chien II missiles (海劍二, Sea Sword II) — also known as TC-2N — to serve as the standard air defense system of the navy’s surface combatant fleet, a source said yesterday. Last week, the Hai Chien II, the naval version of the Tien Kung II missile (天劍二, Sky Sword II), completed a live-fire test in waters off the National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology’s Jiupeng facility (九鵬) in Pingtung County’s Manjhou Township (滿州). The MIM72 Chaparral and other dated air defense missiles that currently arm Taiwanese ships have inadequate range to combat Chinese
REASONS FOR TRAVEL: An assistant professor said that proposed amendments to penalize drivers if they used drugs overseas would not deter people from traveling People who operate a motor vehicle under the influence of marijuana would have their driver’s license revoked, even if they used the substance while overseas, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday, citing proposed amendments to the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act (道路交通管理處罰條例). The amendments would also authorize the government to revoke the licenses of people determined to have used Category 1 or Category 2 narcotics, even if they were not operating a vehicle while under the influence of drugs, as well as ban them from taking the license test for three years, the ministry said. People aged 18 or
Johanne Liou (劉喬安), a Taiwanese woman who shot to unwanted fame during the Sunflower movement protests in 2014, returned to Taiwan last night after being deported from the US. She is to stand trial in Taiwan for charges involving embezzlement, fraud and drug crimes. The Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) said it took her into custody at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and would first question her before transferring her to the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office. She was arrested upon disembarking a flight from San Francisco that landed shortly before 7pm. Liou absconded to the US in 2019 after jumping bail
Shih Hsin University President Chen Ching-he (陳清河) yesterday issued a public apology for comments made in his commencement speech last week, stating that he has asked the school to suspend his duties and halt his wages for two months as a show of contrition. At the commencement ceremony on May 30, Chen said, “If you don’t manage your time well, or your own emotions, or your health, then I am telling every one of you — put a quick end to ‘you,’ because the world has no need for ‘you.’” The comments have sparked significant controversy online, and Chen through an open
RSS