The US has signaled willingness to restart discussion on Taiwan’s long-sought acquisition of MH-60R anti-submarine helicopters, a senior government official said today.
The military currently operates 17 S-70C anti-submarine helicopters, down from 21 due to four major flight safety incidents, people familiar with the matter said.
To enhance Taiwan's anti-submarine capabilities, the military planned to purchase MH-60Rs, with the possibility of exceeding its original plan of 10 to 12 aircraft, they said.
Photo: Reuters
The exact number is to be finalized after negotiation between Washington and Taipei, the source said, despite some military sources suggesting 13 or more.
Along with the potential helicopter procurement, the military also plans to purchase onboard anti-submarine sonar, advanced avionics, MK54 or MK50 torpedoes, anti-ship Hellfire missiles, laser-guided rockets and machine guns, the source said.
The navy has set up a team to manage the MH-60R arms sale, handling matters such as the required quantity, total program cost, implementation schedule and performance specifications, the official said.
The military is optimistic about the possibility of the inclusion of the potential procurement in the special defense procurement budget, they added.
The MH-60R is one of the US Navy's primary anti-submarine helicopters and has been widely procured by Asia-Pacific nations.
South Korea received its first MH-60R last year, while New Zealand in August announced that it would acquire five.
This trend, combined with Taiwan's need to update its fleet, highlights the growing threat from China's submarine capabilities in the region, military sources said.
The US is willing to sell the MH-60R to allies to effectively counter China's military expansion, they said.
However, Taiwan’s request to procure the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye early warning aircraft remained off the table, the official said.
The air force has long eyed the E-2Ds and asked Washington twice for their sale, a source previously said.
The first request was rejected due to its perceived redundancy with land-based radar, the source said.
The military’s plan to obtain the radar planes was based on “clear operational need and in no way wastes public funds,” they added.
NATIONAL SECURITY: Authorities are working to confirm the identities of the military personnel involved and investigating possible illegal conduct and regulatory violations Authorities are probing possible national security implications after Kinmen police and immigration officers on Sunday found a Chinese woman allegedly posing as a tourist while engaging in prostitution involving more than 10 military personnel. The woman, surnamed Chen (陳), has since been deported, authorities said, adding that investigators are still working to confirm the identities of those implicated, as the records only listed code names and aliases. The case stemmed from a report received by the Kinmen District Prosecutors’ Office on Friday last week from the Jinhu Precinct of the Kinmen County Police Bureau. On Sunday, police, along with the National Immigration
GLOBALGIVING: ‘ Caving to external pressure is not acceptable for an organization that has cultivated justice reform and human rights for 30 years,’ one NGO said A slew of non-government organizations (NGOs) have withdrawn from the GlobalGiving fundraising platform after it announced it would use “Chinese Taipei” instead of “Taiwan” from next month. The Taiwan Good Rice Association wrote on Facebook on Friday that it was informed on April 28 via a teleconference call of the change, which was made because the platform wanted to operate in China. Taiwan Good Rice is to terminate all cooperative relationships with GlobalGiving in response to the platform’s “unilateral and non-negotiable” decision to remove references to Taiwan, the NGO said. “Taiwan is in the official name of Taiwan Good Rice Association and the
HEAVY WEATHER: Typhoon Jangmi is due to crash straight into the Ryukyus as airlines look to shift flights to larger aircraft or cancel flights to Okinawa entirely Taiwan’s international air carriers announced flight adjustments over the weekend as Typhoon Jangmi is forecast to hit the Ryukyu Islands today and tomorrow. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) upgraded Jangmi from a tropical storm to a typhoon at 8am yesterday, with the eye located 580km south of Naha city. It was moving north at 19kph. Today, China Airlines’ CI-120, CI-121, CI-122 and CI-123 flights between Taoyuan and Naha, Okinawa, have been canceled as well as CI-132 and CI-133 between Kaohsiung and Naha. EVA Air’s BR-112, BR-113, BR-186 and BR-185 flights between Taoyuan and Naha are also canceled. Low-cost carrier Tigerair Taiwan canceled IT-230,
STAY COOL: The HPA recommended that people stay hydrated, use air-conditioning or fans while indoors, wear loose-fitting clothes and walk in the shade while outdoors Employers must implement measures such as installing cooling equipment, and providing drinking water and rest breaks for outdoor workers starting from Monday next week, the Taipei Department of Labor said on Sunday. Employers who fail to comply could face fines of NT$30,000 to NT$300,000 under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (職業安全衛生法), the department said. Businesses in Taipei employing fewer than 100 workers, as well as registered self-employed workers with labor insurance coverage, could receive on-site assessments and guidance from occupational safety consultants to help them apply for central government subsidies to implement or improve heat-protection measures, it said. Under the Ministry of
RSS