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U.S. to evaluate Taiwan's request for F-16 fighters

ROC Central News Agency

2010/05/21 11:07:24

Washington, May 20 (CNA) The United States will further evaluate whether to upgrade Taiwan's existing F-16 A/B fighters or make new sales of F-16 C/D fighters to Taiwan to help it maintain a viable air defense, a senior U.S. Air Force official said Thursday.

Bruce Lemkin, deputy under secretary of the Air Force for international affairs, acknowledged that Taiwan's air defense capability will continue to decline in the coming years due to the aging of its F-16 A/B fleet and problems with maintaining its Indigenous Defense Fighters.

However, further assessment as to how the situation can be improved is needed, whether by upgrading the F-16 A/B fleet or selling Taiwan new F-16 C/D aircraft, Lemkin said.

He said air defense capability is not solely judged by the availability of fighters, adding that surveillance radar being deployed by Taiwan will greatly enhance its air defense.

Meanwhile, Lemkin said, the export of F-35 fighters is an option available to the United States in seeking to upgrade the combat edge of its allies or "allies in a broader sense." The official, however, declined to say if Taiwan has put forth any request to buy F-35 fighters from the United States.

Lemkin made the comment in response to questions from reporters after attending a hearing on "China's Emergent Military Aerospace and Commercial Aviation Capabilities" held by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission.

Taiwan has repeatedly asked the U.S. government to approve the sale of 66 F-16 C/Ds to replace its obsolete F-5 E/F fighters. To date, Washington has neither accepted nor rejected the request.

With the fighter's production lines likely to be closed in 2013 and Taiwan's air defense capability continuing to decline, members of the U.S. Congress and the Washington-based U.S.-Taiwan Business Council have recently been urging Washington to move more quickly on the requested sale. (By Zep Hu and Y.F. Low) ENDITEM/J