AIDC to develop new generation of fighters
ROC Central News Agency
2008-02-20 15:16:19
Singapore, Feb. 20 (CNA) Taiwan's state-controlled Aerospace Industrial Development Corp. (AIDC) unveiled Tuesday its plan to develop a new generation of fighters that meet the country's future defense needs.
The company aims to equip the new fighters with combat capabilities comparable to those of the next-generation U.S. Joint Strike Fighters and will make sure they are manufactured with mature technologies to persuade the military to buy them, AIDC Chairman Kent Feng told the Central News Agency while taking part in Singapore Airshow 2008.
The company is also seeking to develop a new generation of advanced jet trainers that use subsonic technology, Feng said.
Stressing that sustaining the development of Taiwan's defense industry remains a major mission of AIDC, Feng said the company will maintain close cooperation with the Chung-shan Institute of Science and Technology under the Ministry of National Defense to achieve the objective.
Formerly known as the Aero Industry Development Center, the entity was established as a military organization in 1969 under the authority of the Republic of China Air Force. It adopted its present name in 1996 when it was transformed into a government-owned company.
The company is the maker of the indigenous defense fighter (IDF), known locally as the Ching-Kuo jet fighters in memory of late President Chiang Ching-kuo.
In March 2007, the company officially inaugurate an upgraded version of the IDF, named the Chingkuo Imposing Eagle.
Feng, formerly a member of the Air Force, said in addition to upgrading the IDFs, working to transform AIDC into a contract aerospace designer and manufacturer is one of his most important missions as head of the company.
(By Charles Kang and Y.F. Low)
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