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Military reiterates commitment to buy F-16 C/Ds

ROC Central News Agency

2011/08/03 23:15:05

Taipei, Aug. 3 (CNA) The Ministry of National Defense (MND) rejected Wednesday accusations that the government does not really intend to procure advanced F-16 C/D jet fighters and only wants to upgrade the existing F-16 A/Bs.

"The allegations were by no means true," the ministry said in a statement, adding that Taiwan needs both F-16 C/Ds and upgraded F-16 A/Bs to beef up its air defense capabilities.

The ministry issued the statement after some pundits wrote to print media alleging that the Ma Ying-jeou administration just lobbied for U.S. passage of the F-16 A/B upgrade deal while showing little concern about the fate of the F-16 C/D deal.

Rebutting the accusations as groundless and false, the MND said that despite continued improvement in relations across the Taiwan Strait, the United States has twice sold defensive weapons to Taiwan since Ma assumed office more than three years ago -- in 2008 and 2010 -- to meet Taiwan's defense needs.

The ministry also compared defense spending of previous and present administrations to back up its argument that the current government has not wavered in its commitment to update the country's defensive arsenals and protect national security.

During former President Lee Teng-hui's 12-year administration, Taiwan procured 41 weapons and military equipment worth about US$16.2 billion in total, or US$1.35 billion a year.

In the eight years under former President Chen Shui-bian's leadership, 16 weaponry items were procured for US$8.4 billion, or US$1.05 billion a year.

Over the past three years since Ma took office, 10 weapons and military equipment have been acquired at a cost of US$12.5 billion, or US$3.57 billion per year.

If the U.S. agrees to sell Taiwan 66 F-16 C/Ds to replace its aging F-5 fighters or to upgrade the existing F-16 A/Bs, the total defense spending will hit a new high, the ministry said, adding that all these arms deals point to trust and good cooperative ties between the two countries. (By Lo Chu-tung and Sofia Wu) enditem/ly