via Focus Taiwan.
Washington, July 10 (CNA) A delegation from the Taiwan-US Inter-Parliamentary Amity Association of Taiwan's Legislature said Wednesday in Washington that Taiwan wants to purchase advanced F-35 fighter jets that best suit its defense needs.This will be interesting.
Kuomintang (KMT) Legislator and Association Chairman Lin Yu-fang briefed reporters in Washington after the delegation's meeting at the Pentagon with David Helvey, deputy assistant secretary of defense for East Asia, to discuss Taiwan's needs for advanced defense weaponry.
The delegation members, in their capacity as the Republic of China (ROC) lawmakers, also met with Gregory Kausner, deputy assistant secretary of state for regional security and arms transfers, at the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Washington Headquarters, according to Lin.
The lawmakers said Taiwan needs more advanced fighter jets and submarines to enhance its defense, and also needs to gain more international space.
Lin said Taiwan will continue to push for the purchase of F-35 fighters from the U.S. but should also consider buying a reasonable number of F-16C/D jets to replace Taiwan's aging F-5s, which are expected to be phased out in the next few years.
When the United States agreed to upgrade Taiwan's current fleet of F-16A/B fighter jets in September 2011, it effectively ruled out the sale of the next-generation F-35s, according to Lin.
It would be ideal if Taiwan could purchase the new fighters, which are capable of vertical and short take-off and landing, Lin said.
But even if the U.S. approves the sale, the global waiting list is so long that it would take 15-20 years for Taiwan's order to be delivered, he added.
While in Washington, the delegation also met with members of the U.S. Congress including Sen. Benjamin Cardin, chairman of the East Asian & Pacific Affairs Subcommittee, and Rep. Ed Royce, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Earlier in New York, the delegation met more than a dozen of the permanent representatives to the United Nations of Taiwan's allies at the U.N. headquarters.
We'll see if national security matters more than economics. If its about national security then this should be dismissed without thought. If its about economics then we'll see a massive push for the sale to take place.
An interesting side note though. When word got out that the Taiwanese wanted F-16s, we heard from the Chinese almost immediately that they were unhappy.
We're hearing nothing from them regarding the F-35. I wonder why.
Maybe the 15-20 year wait for delivery has something do with it...idiot.
ReplyDeletei was actually thinking that the Chinese might have found some type of vulnerability in the F-35 that they're seeking to exploit so it doesn't scare them one bit.
DeleteYeah, that must be it. Jesus. Maybe it has to do with, oh, I don't know. Maybe the fact that since the US won't even sell them current model F-16s means that the chance of them getting F-35s would be somewhere around 0%. But by all means, lets bust out the tinfoil. Sounds like you've started smoking the same weed Eric's been cultivating. Another month or two and maybe Bill will even welcome you into the fold.
Deleteyou know what Sferrin. you're beneath my notice. i should have kept my idea and just delete every comment you make but i'll respond to this one.
Deletefirst you ignorant, arrogant, stupid son of a bitch, the idea is that the Marine Corps needs to get its armored house in order before it worries about buying the F-35. i haven't said cancel the airplane, i haven't said that STOVL wasn't necessary. all i said was delay the f-35 and buy armor instead.
what happened? you and another son of a bitch decided to bomb my inbox and fill my pages saying that to delay the purchase of 24 airplanes would kill the program.
really?
Seriously?
what the fuck!
if a delay of 24 planes will imperil the airplane then you all need to get a clue. the program needs to die.
Taiwan leaks like a sieve, China would be able to practically learn everything about the aircraft. From that they could copy electronics, weapons, and materials. It would not be bad for Taiwan to buy F-35s from China's point of view. Also, China's silence could they haven't gotten around to responding to this yet.
ReplyDeleteThe US is afraid to deliver new F16 Block 52s to Taiwan because of China, I don't see how Taiwan will ever see the F35...
ReplyDelete"But even if the U.S. approves the sale, the global waiting list is so long that it would take 15-20 years for Taiwan's order to be delivered, he added."
ReplyDeleteHahahaha
Theres no one on the order books who wouldnt happily get knocked back a few years
Must be why everybody is trying to unload their Typhoons.
DeleteIn a way, yes.
DeleteMost, if not all of the F35 customers, are in economic trouble.
Military procurement budgets are an easy target to cut.
Typhoons are new and very good pieces of kit, making the F15 look like an F5, selling a barely used one is reasonably easy.
"An interesting side note though. When word got out that the Taiwanese wanted F-16s, we heard from the Chinese almost immediately that they were unhappy.
ReplyDeleteWe're hearing nothing from them regarding the F-35. I wonder why."
Because they know we won't? What Do I win?
Even the last administration was filled with Chinese communist apologists. Free-trade (as apposed to fair trade) traitors in various cabinet staff don't want to make their creditor and/or business friends with the red star unhappy. Like the F-16s, it only takes a few phone calls from various campaign contributors to kill this idea. Now that the country is almost $17T in debt, they would sell out their most valuable ally if it meant more credit from the Chicoms. And, different horses for different courses "policy" (if you want to call it that). We are still delivering F-16s to a worthless and dangerous Egypt. U.S. funding for Pakistan to use for anti-terrorism efforts, went to...buy F-16s.
ReplyDelete