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U.S. still reviewing F-16 C/D aircraft sales: MND

ROC Central News Agency

2011/09/22 01:08:33

By Nancy Liu

Taipei, Sept. 21 (CNA) The Ministry of National Defense (MND) said Wednesday that the United States is still reviewing Taiwan's request to procure F-16 C/D jet fighters, and the ministry will continue to urge Washington to approve the deal.

The administration of President Barack Obama has, nevertheless, agreed to a possible US$5.85 billion deal to upgrade the Taiwan's existing F-16 A/B jet fighter fleet, Defense Minister Kao Hua-chu said in a late night press conference.

Kao said that the U.S. administration has notified Congress of its intent to help retrofit Taiwan's F-16 A/B aircraft with associated equipment and parts, plus training and logistical support to the island at 9 p.m. Taipei time.

The deal, if sealed, would be a "breakthrough" and serve as a "landmark in the Taiwan-U.S. relations," he said.

Kao emphasized that the U.S. did not reject selling F-16 C/D fighters to Taiwan, and he pledged his ministry will continue to push the U.S. to provide Taiwan with the fighters, or other types of aircraft at the same or even better performance level, at an appropriate time.

He noted that the F-16 A/B retrofit will include acquisition of advanced radar -- active, electronically scanned array (AESA) radar -- avionics, and precision munitions.

The upgrade package will bring the existing F-16 A/Bs to C/Ds standards, if not exceeding their performance, Kao said.

The acquisition of diesel submarines, F-16 A/B retrofit and F-16 C/Ds are irreplaceable military items which the ministry intends to acquire at different stages, he added.

U.S. arms sales to Taiwan usually follow specific protocols, said the MND spokesman Luo Shou-he in an earlier interview.

He noted that the U.S. administration will send a formal notice to the Congress, which has a 30-day period to dissent. If no opposition is raised, the arms sale would be officially sealed, Luo said.