IAF currently has only three AWACS, with Israeli Phalcon radar systems mounted on Russian IL-76 heavy-lift aircraft, which were inducted in 2009-2011 under a $1.1.

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Taiwan’s Force Modernization: The American Side. Despite China’s ominous military buildup across the strait, key weapons sales of P- 3 maritime patrol aircraft, Patriot PAC- 3 missiles, and diesel- electric submarines to Taiwan had been sabotaged by Taiwanese politics for years – in some cases, since 1. The KMT party’s flip- flops and determined stalling tactics eventually created a crisis in US- Taiwan relations, which finally soured to the point that the USA refused a Taiwanese request for F- 1. C/D aircraft. That seems to have brought things to a head. Most of the budget and political issues were eventually sorted out, and after a long delay, some major elements of Taiwan’s requested modernization program appear to be moving forward: P- 3 maritime patrol aircraft, UH- 6.

M helicopters, Patriot missile upgrades; and requests for AH- 6. D attack helicopters, E- 2 Hawkeye AWACS planes, minehunting ships, and missiles for defense against aircraft, ships, and tanks. These are must- have capabilities when facing a Chinese government that has vowed to take the country by force, and which is building an extensive submarine fleet, a large array of ballistic missiles, an upgraded fighter fleet, and a number of amphibious- capable divisions. Chinese pressure continues to stall some of Taiwan’s most important upgrades, including diesel- electric submarines, and new American fighter jets. Meanwhile, other purchases from abroad continue. Tracking the Programs: Patient Progress & Stalled Sales.

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Fortunately for Taiwan, there is movement beyond the stalled backwaters of F- 1. Can a combination of foreign weapon sales approvals and domestic efforts break Taiwan’s defense equipment logjam? Can the broader US- Taiwan defense relationship be saved, or is it eroding fatally?

Those are questions for the future. This Spotlight article will focus on the here- and- now instead, chronicling key developments and purchases as they arise. Aerial Acquisitions. In the modern era, control of the air is the first requirement of effective defense. For an island country, control of the sea, or the ability to deny that control to enemies is equally strategic.

Taiwan’s key modernization efforts in both areas remain troubled, which impairs the amount of real deterrence, and security, their military modernization can bring them. ROCAF Mirage 2. 00. Watch Wicked Lake Online Hollywoodreporter. The ultimate issue for Taiwan is one of numbers. In the air, quantity has a quality all its own.

Taiwan expects to retire its F- 5 and Mirage 2. The ROCAF is moving to modernize its old F- 1. Modernization is a medium term solution, not a long term one, and does nothing to address the growing numeric imbalance across the strait.

Even as US military studies suggest that the USAF and US Navy will find it more and more difficult to fly fighter reinforcements to Taiwan, and keep them in its airspace. With 2. 4 ROCAF F- 1. USA for training at Luke AFB, and 3. Taiwan’s fleet of 1. F- 1. 6s shrinks to about 7.

F- 1. 6s in operational service. If equivalent rates hold true for the 7. F- CK- 1. C/Ds, that means about 5. Hsiung Ying fighters, for a total available fighter fleet of just 1. Most of which will be 1.

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Consistent reports indicate that the USA has asked Taiwan to hold off on their request to add 6. F- 1. 6s, in order to avoid a direct “no.” Reports suggest that a strong lobbying effort from China is dooming that effort, even as the PLAAF continues to add aircraft like the 4+ generation J- 1. SU- 2. 7 family fighters to its arsenal. The Obama administration confirmed that perception in September 2. ROCAF F- 1. 6 fleet upgrades, rather than new F- 1. C/D Block 5. 2 sales.

They attempted to thread the needle by offering more advanced technology than the equipment in F- 1. Block 5. 2s, which have been sold to countries like China’s ally, Pakistan. The question is whether this is actually a worst- of- all- possible worlds outcome: showing weakness abroad on Taiwan, failing to extend the F- 1. American jobs at home, and offering cutting- edge technology that risks falling into the hands of Chinese intelligence. The USA is also selling Taiwan the newest version of its attack helicopter, the AH- 6. E Apache Guardian.

Its Longbow radar mast allows it to use radar guided, fire and forget missiles, and it also carries Stinger missiles for defense against enemy aircraft. Engine and communications upgrades, including the ability to control UAVs remotely, round out that package. Fright Night Part 2 Online Putlocker there. The 3. 0 Apaches would serve alongside Taiwan’s 6. AH- 1. W Cobra attack helicopters, as a rapid reaction force able to counterattack beachheads and exploit the hilly island’s natural chokepoints. Sea Control. At sea, the situation is simultaneously less overtly perilous, and less hopeful. China’s navy is certainly growing, but is not yet overwhelming.

The problem is that without air superiority as cover, no Taiwanese surface navy can expect to survive, in order to maintain control of the seas around Taiwan. Britain faced the same equation in World War 2, and prevailed by winning in the air. ROC Seadragon sub(click to view full)If that isn’t possible, a good submarine force is the classic military solution.

Submarines are capable of either destroying efforts to cross the strait, or strangling Chinese trade as it moves through Southeast Asia’s key choke points. Modern missiles give them vastly longer offensive reach, and modern submarines are very difficult to find and target once they put to sea.

For a nation like Taiwan, they’re the ultimate conventional deterrent against invasion. Taiwan’s comprehensive failure to field this trump card stems even more directly from Chinese pressure.

The USA approved a sale request in 2. Without that option on tap, Chinese diplomacy has utterly strangled Taiwan’s efforts to find a party who is (a) able to make diesel- electric subs; and (b) is willing to sell them to Taiwan. The Republic of China currently relies on 2 submarines that are too old for anything but training missions, and 2 Hai Lung (Sea Dragon) class submarines. The Hai Lungs were ordered from the Dutch firm Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij (RDM) in 1. Zwaardvis (Swordfish) class.

A follow- on order for 4 more submarines was blocked by the Dutch government in 1. Chinese pressure, and RDM went out of business a few years later. Since then, Taiwan has explored a number of alternatives to obtain diesel- electric submarines, without success. They are even reportedly considering building their own boats from foreign designs. Australia’s experience suggests that this course may be fraught with peril, and Taiwan has a number of technology gaps to address: ship design technology, torpedoes, sonar, propulsion systems, combat systems, and submarine periscope lenses.

On the other hand, if the alternative is no submarines at all, and submarines are one of your most critical national defense needs, the perils of caution may outweigh the risks of inexperience. Taiwan seems determined to face the peril, and a report is expected by June 2. Land Defense. CM1.

Land defense improvements currently center on portable missiles, mobility, and massed counterattack against amphibious or paradropped beach- heads. The missiles provide dispersed, hard- to- target defenses against enemy aircraft and armored vehicles. Helicopter mobility allows rapid response to enemy airdrops or pre- positioned guerrilla units. Massed counterattack means the heavy armor of tanks, which remain the most important and element for crushing enemy beach- heads.

Taiwan’s situation with respect to tanks isn’t very good. The Republic of China Army currently fields about 4. M6. 0A3 tanks acquired in the 1. M6. 0 first entered US service in 1. A3 version entered US service in the late 1.

They’re joined by 4. CM1. 1s (modified M4. H 1. 05mm turrets with improved fire control, mated to M6. M- 4. 8 medium tanks whose base design dates back to the 1. M4. 8A3s, and 2. 50 CM1. CM1. 1 turrets mated to M4.

A3 hulls). Contracts & Key Events.