U.S. MIGHT COOPERATE WITH SPAIN TO BUILD SUBS FOR TAIWAN: LE MONDE
ROC Central News Agency
2005-09-30 13:25:14
Paris, Sept. 30 (CNA) The United States might cooperate with Spain to build submarines to sell to Taiwan, the French newspaper Le Monde reported Friday.
Washington has agreed to sell eight diesel-electric submarines to Taiwan, as well as six Patriot PAC III anti-missile batteries and 12 P-3C anti-submarine aircraft, although the island's legislature has yet to pass the long-stalled arms procurement bill to buy the weaponry items.
According to the Le Monde report, both Germany and France, which have monopolized almost entire traditional submarine production in the global market, have said they do not want to build the submarines for Taiwan, reportedly due to concerns about irritating Beijing.
The French shipbuilding group DCN and the Spanish Navantia Group are jointly building Scorpio-class submarines for several countries, including Chile, India and Malaysia, and Spain intends to transfer part of that subs' technology for use in building a new type of S-80 submarine on its own.
The report said that the United States and Spain have been in contact and want to cooperate, with Washington expressing the hope that Spain can lower the price for construction of the S-80 class subs in order to be able to sell them to Taiwan in the future.
The newspaper also reported that the Navantia Group signed a contract with the U.S.-based Rockheed Martin Co. several months ago to equip the S-80 submarines' central combat system.
Nevertheless, the paper said that the Spanish authorities concerned have not yet confirmed any plans related to the export of the S-80 submarines to other countries. The four S-80 subs currently being built by the Navantia Group are all for the Spanish Navy.
(By Y.S. Lo and P.C.Tang)
Enditem/Li
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