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Progress made in military procurement talks with U.S., France: MND

ROC Central News Agency

2009/11/12 17:00:28
Taipei, Nov. 12 (CNA) The Ministry of National Defense (MND) has taken a "hard" stance in recent military procurement talks with the United States and France, and concrete progress has been made, Vice Minister of National Defense Chao Shih-chang reported Thursday.

Fielding questions in the legislature's Foreign and National Defense Committee, Chao confirmed that after intensive talks between the United States and Taiwan, the U.S. side has agreed to lower the price of its FGM-148 Javelin antitank missiles to US$160,000 per unit from its previously quoted US$240,000 per unit.

Ruling Kuomintang (KMT) legislators Lin Yu-fang and Shuai Hua-ming had earlier this year advised the MND to reopen negotiations with the United States to seek a better price for the FGM-148 Javelin Antitank missiles, or drop the procurement plan.

According to Chao, the price cut will allow Taiwan to buy 105-107 units of the missiles for the Republic of China Marine Corps, along with the missile launching system which has also been discounted.

This will save Taiwan some US$20 million, he added.

Meanwhile, Taiwan has also reached a deal with France for better repairs and maintenance of its fleet of Mirage 2000 fighter jets, Ger Hsi-hsiung, chief of staff of the Air Force, told the legislative committee.

France has agreed to supply, by the end of this year, the turbofans Taiwan needs for its Mirage 2000 fighter jets, and has also opened talks with the MND on a joint cooperative venture on the aircraft's rocket propulsion system, he added.

(By Flor Wang) enditem /pc