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Advanced Defense Fighter

When Tsai Ing-wen came to power, she proposed to the United States to purchase F-35B fighter jets, but the United States made it clear that they could not sell them and changed Taiwan's demand to F-16V Block 70. Taiwan’s defense department began to review the “Next Generation Main Fighter Development Plan” proposed by its air force in 2023. In this planning plan of the Taiwan Air Force, two aircraft with dual Prototypes were developed and designed: the flight test prototype code-named A1, the ground static test machine code-named T1, and a budget of no more than 500 million US dollars. The configuration and internal detail design of the prototype was completed by the Angel Project team of Taiwan's "Chinese Academy of Sciences".

In order to shorten the research and development time, the engine of the fighter jet has been determined to be obtained by "outsourcing". Taiwan applied to the United States to purchase General Electric's F414 -GE-400 engine. In terms of time planning for the "next-generation main fighter", the time to complete the prototype and display it to the outside world is set before Taiwan's leader Tsai Ing-wen resigns in May 2024, and the first flight will not be until 2025.

The reason for choosing the F414-GE-400 turbofan engine is because this type of engine is the power system used by the American F-18E/F Super Hornet fighter jet and the Korean KF-X next-generation fighter jet. At the same time, considering the relatively long production cycle of the engine, Taiwan has formally proposed the procurement process to the United States, hoping to obtain this engine within the development cycle of the "next-generation main fighter".

In addition, most of the equipment for Taiwan's "next-generation main fighter" has been finalized. The "0305" project team composed of the Taiwan Air Force, the "Chinese Academy of Sciences" and Hanxiang Corporation has gone to the United States and the United Kingdom in early April to carry out other parts and components. Visit the factory for optional equipment. For example, the ejection chairs for fighter jets still use the products of the British Martin Baker Company. Although the avionics system has initially selected the products of the American Harris Company, the British Aerospace Systems Corporation (BAE Systems) is still actively striving for it. The equipment of the main instrument display in the cockpit and the airborne active phased array radar will not be finalized until the end of May 2022.

Taiwan's "Chinese Academy of Sciences" launched the "Angel Project" in 2019. It was originally planned to complete the "Key Technology Research and Development Plan for the Next Generation Advanced High-Performance Fighter" this year. This aircraft is also known as the "Next Generation Advanced Defense Fighter." (Advanced Defense Fighter, ADF). The power system of ADF has a special name called "Vega Project". The original plan was to develop it based on the TFE-1042-70 engine of Taiwan's active IDF fighter. It did not achieve the expected goal.

The new generation Advanced Defense Fighter, designed based on the performance of fifth-generation aircraft, at least must have a built-in bomb bay, a stealth appearance that reduces radar reflection, a powerful engine with vector nozzles, AESA phased radar (this radar has a longer and more accurate detection range than traditional mechanical radars), and sharing between aircraft Data data link and other stronger avionics performance. System components are the focus of national-made fighters.

Taiwan's defense department requested to start the design of the next generation main fighter in 2020, requiring the performance of this type of fighter to have stealth performance and strong power. Therefore, the "Angel Project" changed from a key plan to a prototype. The design plan and the time point for completion of the plan was also revised from 2022 to 2024; Taiwan believes that the situation on both sides of the strait has become more and more serious, so the development of the next generation of main fighters cannot wait any longer, so the Taiwan Air Force uses the "303 Project Project Team" Put forward the latest assessment case and advance the project's research and development plan to 2023.

Taiwan believes that due to the tense situation in the Taiwan Strait, in order to ensure Taiwan's security and the Taiwan military's "air combat superiority" and achieve the goal of effectively deterring the People's Liberation Army from "attacking Taiwan by force", in addition to actively launching the development of "next-generation fighter" prototypes, Taiwan's air force also submitted a written report to the legislature on "proposing to purchase the latest fighter jets from the United States", stating that it will continue to explore the possibility of selling fighter jets that meet Taiwan's needs in the Taiwan-US military exchange meeting.

Taiwan's National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) stated on 15 April 2021 that work to develop its next-generation fighter was progressing ahead of schedule. NCSIST President Chang Chung-Chung confirmed that the institute is conducting research and development on a new fighter jet. He said the first phase has two components — overall design and engine production — and that both phases will be completed in 2024. During a meeting of the Foreign and National Defense Committee, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Tsai Shih-ying asked the military if it had begun R&D work on the country's next-generation fighter jet.

Chang responded by saying that in order to develop the aircraft, the NCSIST has split the first phase into two projects, both of which are progressing "ahead of schedule". Chang stated that R&D on the production of the warplane's engine is expected to be finished by 2024 at a cost of approximately NT$8.8 billion (US$310 million). He said work on the overall design, which includes "24 key technologies," is progressing "normally" and will also conclude in 2024, costing NT$1.7 billion.

In response to reports that South Korea is investing NT$200 billion in its next generation of fighters, Tsai said this amount was "too much" but asked if NT$10 billion was adequate for Taiwan's new jet. Chang replied that R&D will be carried out in phases. Tsai then asked if the Ministry of National Defense could allocate more funding. Vice Defense Minister Chang Che-ping responded by pledging to support the project.

In March 2017, Chang lauded the successful establishment of "Project Vega" to develop a new fighter, setting the goal of beginning production in 2027, Up Media wrote in January of this year. According to the report, designers would take the TFE-1042-70 turbofan used in Taiwan's domestically built F-CK-1 Ching-kuo and re-engineer it to achieve a thrust of 16,400 lbf (73 kN) and redub it the F125XX.

The core goal of national-made aircraft is to pursue higher self-control, rather than just designing and assembling an aircraft. Taiwan's industry is very small, and there are few people, so Team Work is necessary. In recent years, Hanxiang and the Chinese Academy of Sciences have continued to improve their self-made and self-research capabilities in this part. Among them, the various system components inside the aircraft are as small as air conditioners, landing gear and other hardware facilities, and as large as a row. Software equipment such as radar and avionics systems are all targets of cooperation and self-made.

The head of Taiwan's main domestic aircraft developer, Ma Wanjun said that the self-made rate of Yongying high-level training aircraft is about 55%, and the early IDF fighters are of course lower, but the efforts of high-level training planes and future primary training planes are all for the early preparation of the next generation of fighters. Ma had been serving as AIDC president since March 2019. He previously served in the NCSIST as its deputy head.

These efforts are to cultivate more Taiwanese manufacturers are capable of making these system components. Appearance is not the core design. The focus of the country-made fifth-generation machine is: “To develop fifth-generation machine-level system components.” No matter whether engineers provide technical support from Europe and the United States, if they read the same textbooks as abroad, they must have this ability, but you lack experience.

Ma Wanjun said that the appearance has already been prepared. In order to reduce the radar reflection cross-sectional area, the fifth-generation fighters of various countries are all similar, and the appearance is not the core feature. "Engine is the holy grail of engineers" Taiwan's engine development problems.

Ma Wanjun believes that if Taiwan wants to independently develop engines, it must overcome two problems. One is "engine design" and the other is "metallurgical technology for hot forging". It is jointly designed with the United States, but each makes half. Taiwan is responsible for the cold forging parts that do not use fire. The parts of the core compression section of the engine must withstand extremely high temperature, extremely high pressure and ultra-high centrifugal force, requiring hot forging technology with a high technical threshold. The side is made by the United States to help. It can be seen that although we had research and development experience at that time, we still could not complete all the operations independently, and the core technology was still in the hands of others.

The "Vega Project" has acquired core technical capabilities in ADF. Regardless of whether future ADF fighters may consider adopting the US-made F404 and F414 engines or the high-power engines self-developed and self-made by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Taiwan still needs to have self-designed and self-manufactured engines. The technology of the heart can prevent the heart components from being tied up. For this reason, the Chinese Academy of Sciences confirmed in 2017 that a confidential project code-named "Vega Project" started. The goal is to overcome the core technical difficulties of military engines.

Ma Wanjun believes that the smooth development of Taiwan's aerospace industry and new fifth-generation fighter jets depends on whether the industry has a "theme", that is, government policies determine everything, and the industry must be given clear directions and goals for young engineers to develop. The birth of a new aircraft must be promoted by policies, the Air Force develops demand, the Chinese Academy of Sciences conducts system development, Hanxiang manufactures the aircraft model or seeks out third parties from the private sector, and the academic community provides relevant academic resources.

Ma Wanjun called on the government to give the green light and funding to develop the next generation indigenous fighter jets sooner rather than later, a move local defense experts said could boost the defense industry's capability and increase leverage in buying advanced fighters from the United States. Speaking to CNA during an 18 August 2023 interview, Ma Wan-june, president of Taichung-based aerospace company, Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC), made the call 30 years after AIDC-developed Indigenous Defense Fighter (IDF) entered service in the nation's Air Force in the 1990s.

Taiwan initiated development of the IDF in May 1982, and named it after then President Chiang Ching-kuo, after the U.S. government at the time refused to sell F-16s to the country. Since beginning service in 1992, the IDF has become one of the main components of the nation's Air Force fleet.

Following the development of IDF, AIDC has also been building its own Advanced Trainer Jet (ATJ) dubbed the "Brave Eagle" since 2017 as part of President Tsai Ing-wen's project to build indigenous warplanes, warships, and submarines launched after she assumed office in May 2016. The first prototype of the new ATJ, serial 11001/08-9001, flew for the first time on June 2020. AIDC was scheduled to deliver 66 advanced trainer aircraft to the government by 2026.

"Now is the time for moving on to develop the next generation 'Advanced Defense Fighter (ADF),'" Ma told CNA. According to Ma, while 55 percent of parts used in IDFs and 75 percent of parts used in ATJ are domestically-made, given Taiwan's unique diplomatic isolation, AIDC estimated that it would be capable of building 95 percent of all parts to be used in the future ADF once the government agrees to launch the project.

Ma said advancing indigenous weapon system development and construction capacities is definitely the right path for Taiwan, because they are valuable for the country both in boosting its defense capability and bringing economic benefits. Ma also said indigenous weapon design and development are a long-term mission and one cannot simply call it off after the completion of one stage of the mission. "It would take approximately 15 years to develop an aircraft, plus another 10 years before entering mass production," he noted.

He disclosed that after completing the development of IDF from the 80s to 90s, many AIDC talents decided to leave the country and find works overseas, including to South Korea, where they helped the Asian country develop T-50 Golden Eagle trainer jets. "Brain drain is inevitable if a country is not providing a stage for talents to exercise their expertise," Ma said.

AIDC, previously known as the Aero Industry Development Center, was founded in 1969 under the Republic of China Air Force, the official name of Taiwan. It became part of the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST), Taiwan top military research unit, in 1983. In 1996, AIDC was transformed from a military establishment into a government-owned company under the authority of the Ministry of Economic Affairs.

Asked by CNA to comment on Ma's calls to develop the next generation indigenous fighter jet, the Air Force did not give a direct answer, saying only that the military has always made plans on weapon system procurement and development based on its defensive needs and latest enemy threats.

Three defense experts CNA talked to all agreed that it was important for Taiwan to start putting resources in developing next generation fighter jets. Chang Yen-ting , a former deputy commander of the Air Force, said Taiwan was able to buy F-16s from the U.S. in the 1990s after it had successfully developed and produced IDFs. So, if Taiwan begins to develop its own ADF, the U.S. would more likely grant F-35 sales to the country, he noted. However, Chang said Taiwan's weapon developers currently do not have the capability to build fifth-generation jets and therefore it could be extremely costly to develop ADFs on its own.

Chang, Su Tzu-yun, a scholar with the government-funded Institute for National Defense and Security Research (INDSR), and Chieh Chung, an associate research fellow with the National Policy Foundation in Taipei, all suggested that Taiwan's government jointly develop advanced fighters with the U.S. Given the fact that it could take a decade for developing a new fighter, by then other countries are already developing 5.5 generation or more advanced jets, Chieh warned. Chieh also said Taiwanese defense companies should focus on first becoming part of the U.S.' defense supply chain to learn from building the basic system before moving into more advanced aircraft manufacturing.

As Conan's father said ""No one in this world can you trust. Not men, not women, not beasts. Steel. Steel you can trust."