The air force would continue to allocate about NT$10 million (US$314,085) next year to keep its RF-5 recon aircraft fleet operational until it receives new intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities, a military source told the Central News Agency today.
According to the air force's budget proposal for the fiscal year 2025, NT$10 million would be spent on logistics and technical support services to keep the RF-5s up and running.
Photo: Yu Tai-lang, Taipei Times
The proposal is still pending approval by lawmakers.
The RF-5s were converted from some of the air force's F-5E jets that have been in service for nearly 50 years.
Based in Hualien Air Base, the plane's main mission is to conduct recon missions with F-16Vs and surveil Chinese forces.
During natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods, the RF-5s also conduct recon missions to help gather information on the scale of the destruction.
The air force had about 50 F-5s that have mostly served as trainer jets.
All of them were retired from service late last year and replaced by Taiwan's indigenous advanced jet trainers, also known as the Brave Eagle.
However, the RF-5 reconnaissance version is to remain operational until the military receives new ISR capabilities with the future inclusion of MS-110 pods, MQ-9B drones and domestic drones in coming years, an unnamed source told the news agency.
Washington approved the sale of six MS-110s in October 2020, but the military has yet to receive them.
The delivery is expected to be completed next year.
Taiwan's military is also scheduled to receive the first two MQ-9B "SkyGuardian" drones it purchased from the US in 2026, and the other two in 2027.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
Tropical Storm Fung-Wong would likely strengthen into a typhoon later today as it continues moving westward across the Pacific before heading in Taiwan’s direction next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. As of 8am, Fung-Wong was about 2,190km east-southeast of Cape Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving westward at 25kph and possibly accelerating to 31kph, CWA data showed. The tropical storm is currently over waters east of the Philippines and still far from Taiwan, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said, adding that it could likely strengthen into a typhoon later in the day. It is forecast to reach the South China Sea
WEATHER Typhoon forming: CWA A tropical depression is expected to form into a typhoon as early as today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the storm’s path remains uncertain. Before the weekend, it would move toward the Philippines, the agency said. Some time around Monday next week, it might reach a turning point, either veering north toward waters east of Taiwan or continuing westward across the Philippines, the CWA said. Meanwhile, the eye of Typhoon Kalmaegi was 1,310km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, as of 2am yesterday, it said. The storm is forecast to move through central
RSS