U.S. has not raised price of arms package: MND
ROC Central News Agency
2011/12/28 19:52:58
Taipei, Dec. 28 (CNA) The Ministry of National Defense (MND) denied Wednesday that the United States government has asked Taiwan to pay US$2 billion more for a recently approved military aircraft retrofit package.
The Next Magazine report that the U.S. is asking for more money to invent the radars and replace the engines of Taiwan's 145 F-16 A/B fighter jets is "not true," the MND said in a statement.
The U.S. has agreed to retrofit Taiwan's F-16 A/B fighter fleet as part of a US$5.85-billion package of arms that will be supplied to Taiwan.
In a report Wednesday, Next Magazine said the U.S. was asking for an additional US$2 billion.
But the MND said it had received no such request from the U.S. and that Taiwan had made it clear that there was no need to replace the engines of its F-16A/B fleet.
"The jets average 2,000 flight hours, far lower than the threshold for engine replacement," the MND officials said.
In late September, the U.S. government announced its approval of the retrofit package that included radar, weapon, and structural upgrades. F-16 pilot training at Luke Air Force Base in the U.S. and aircraft spare parts are also part of the arms deal. (By Elaine Hou) ENDITEM/ pc
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