Armée Taiwanaise / Republic of China Armed Forces(ROCAF)

Citation :

Taiwanese army artillery shooting training









Taiwanese army do the artillery shooting training near the beach,Xinchu,northern Taiwan, June 8th,2011.




The army artillery troops are watching observing figure in command post,near the beach in Xinchu, northern Taiwan,June 8th,2011

Taiwanese military combat drill "Lan-yuon"(聯勇)





Taiwanese main battle tank CM-11 are go through the training area and shooting near Baoli mountain in Pington,southern Taiwan,June 8th,2011




All the battle team are ready at the training area and shooting near Baoli mountain in Pington,southern Taiwan,June 8th,2011




The M113 are stop in front of the shooting area near Baoli mountain in Pington,southern Taiwan,June 8th,2011




The AH-1W cobra helicopters shoot the target on the mountain by rocket near Baoli mountain in Pington,southern Taiwan,June 8th,2011






The TOW anti-tank missile joining the combat training near Baoli mountain in Pington,southern Taiwan,June 8th,2011




At night,the combat shooting training still go,train for the combat test near Baoli mountain in Pington,southern Taiwan,June 8th,2011

Citation :

Taiwan goes ahead with Apache Block III buy



June 10, 2011
The US Army has confirmed that Taiwan will be the first customer for the AH-64D Apache Block III.
Col Shane Openshaw, PM Apache, said on 10 June that a contract for the Taiwanese aircraft had been signed. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DCSA) originally notified the US Congress of the potential sale in October 2008.
The deal for 30 aircraft, which was the number confirmed by Openshaw, could be worth some $2.5 billion according to the DCSA. The aircraft would be a major enhancement to Taiwanese capabilities.
The Block III is the most advanced variant of the attack helicopter. It has updated avionics and an improved dynamic system giving the aircraft better performance and greater interoperability with unmanned air systems and troops on the ground.
The aircraft for Taiwan will be part of the low-rate initial production batch. The first new build Apache Block III will be one of the aircraft for Taiwan and will go on the line in Mesa, Arizona, in October this year. Openshaw said he expected the Taiwanese aircraft to be delivered in the 2012-2013 timeframe.
David Koopersmith, Boeing's vice president attack helicopter programs, told Shephard that the company was still on track to deliver the first production remanufactured Apache Block III aircraft to the US Army in October. The first three aircraft are currently on the line and moving towards completion.
The US Army has an objective requirement for 690 Block III aircraft, but is expected to add a further 96 aircraft to that number. Koopersmith said that with the current level of investment the company could begin to deliver between seven and eight Block IIIs per month on the two lines at Mesa once the remaining Block II line converts over.
The company expects to see further foreign sales of the Apache and Koopersmith said he expected the next contract for the Block III to be signed in the Middle East. In October 2010 the DCSA announced a possible FMS to Saudi Arabia for 36 AH-64D Block III Apaches amongst a significant helicopter order from the kingdom.

shephard

quand je vois ces prix je doute qu´on les prend

Citation :

F-16 Fighters for Taiwan: It's Time to Send Beijing a Message

Will warfighters have to pay the price for Washington’s reluctance to act?

Imagine you were a Chinese leader in Beijing trying to gauge U.S. resolve, and this is what you saw. Despite decades of currency manipulation by China that has destroyed millions of U.S. jobs, Washington declines to label Beijing a currency manipulator. Despite Chinese theft of intellectual property that the International Trade Commission says cost U.S. companies $48 billion in 2009 alone, Washington declines to press Beijing for reform. Despite millions of Chinese attempts to penetrate U.S. information networks every day, Washington declines to blame Beijing. Despite repeated pleas from Taiwan for help in replacing aging fighters, Washington refuses to act for fear of offending Beijing.

The message these actions send to Chinese leaders is unmistakable: Washington is afraid of Beijing. It's afraid the biggest overseas holder of U.S. debt will stop taking more American I.O.U.'s. It's afraid the world's fastest-growing economy will discriminate against U.S. companies. And it's afraid that meeting America's defensive commitments to Taiwan will lead the Chinese to pour even more money into their current military buildup. That buildup is already fielding super-quiet submarines, anti-satellite weapons, stealthy strike aircraft and maneuvering ballistic-missile warheads that can hit U.S. warships -- weapons clearly designed to exclude U.S. forces from the Western Pacific in the future.

Washington's passivity is emboldening China. It is also sending precisely the wrong message to local allies such as Japan, Singapore and South Korea who need reassurances that China's drive for regional dominance will be curbed. America can't afford to let China dominate a region that is fast becoming the industrial heartland of the global economy, and yet the White House has failed to signal resolve as China exercises it growing power. A clear, tangible message needs to be sent that America has run out of patience with Chinese behavior.

The easiest way to send that message is to help Taiwan meet its defensive needs by allowing the island republic to replace aging tactical aircraft with new F-16 fighters. Forty-five U.S. Senators sent a letter to the White House demanding that on May 26, pointing out that Taiwan needs to retire 70 percent of its fighters over the next decade and the remaining fighters -- 150 earlier versions of the F-16 in need of upgrades -- are not adequate to maintain a military balance across the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan's government has repeatedly sought the opportunity to buy newer versions of the F-16, and it has repeatedly been rebuffed. It only wants 66 of the fighters and they don't begin to approach the capabilities of the latest U.S. fighters, but they're good enough to prevent a successful invasion by China.

If Washington fails to act, it won't just send the wrong message to everyone in the region; it will increase the likelihood American warfighters may soon be called on to protect an endangered democracy that could have defended itself if our leaders had agreed to provide the necessary tools.

defpro

un lobby tres fort,j´y ai presque cru a leur message

La marine taïwanaise est une force d'une très grandes importance. Une flotte relativement moderne, elle constitue une force de frappe assez conséquente pour le soutien des autres corps d'armée, et même de mener des opérations navales de grande envergure.
Les 4 Destroyers de la classe Kidd ( qui, pour infos, ils étaient déstinés à la marine impérialle iranienne ), sont les plus grandes unités de combats, avec un déplacement de 10000 T pc. Avec leur 2 canons 127mm, ces unités offrent un soutien au feu assez conséquent.
Ces navires qui ont servi à la USN jusqu'à 97, ont été proposé à l'Australie qui les a refusé après l'histoire des NP, et la Greece aussi. la Marine Taïwanaise les a acquis à un prix de 750M$ ( l'offre américain pour l'australie était de l'ordre 30M$ l'unité ), ils ont reçu une modernisation en USA, et une baisse des capacités de stockage de l'armement notamment le SM2BkIII, et le Harpoon BkII, à 148 et 32 missiles respectivemment ! fin 2008, les navires embarque désromais la totalité de leur charge d'Armement !! bien que des rumeurs parle d'installation d'un nouveau missile AS à bord de quelques unités à la place du Harpoon !

Spoiler:

La Flotte des frégates est composé de 22 unités dont 14 modernes, voir furtives.
les unités les plus anciennes sont 8 frégates Knox, acquises début des années 90, et qui embarquent des équipement différentes de leur sister-ships, notamment le DA08, ou le SM1MR, qui étaient à bord des destroyers de la classe Gearing, désarmés après l'entrée en service des Kidd. La marine Taiwanaise ne semble pas vouloir se débarasser de ces Knox dans le court terme, puisqu'une modernisation est prévue, incluant le remplacement des 125mm par des M75 76mm et d'autres équipements ASM.

Spoiler:

Au début des années 90, le Taiwan a acquis une licence pour produire localement 8 Frégates de la classe OH Perry. à la place du Harpoon on trouve le missile supersonic HF3, de fabrication locale. L'USN va vendre 2 OHP supplémentaires au Ta¨wan.

Spoiler:

En 1992, Le Taïwan commence des discussion avec thales pour la construction de 6 frégates ASM, qui seront armé localement. Basé sur le modéle LaFayette, les 6 Kang ding ont été construites dans les arsenaux de l'ex-DCN à Lorient, la livraison de la dernière unité s'est effectuée en 1998. Conçu pour les missions ASM, ces frégates embarquent l'Atas V2, et le Spherion B de thales, ainsi que le S70C ASM. On trouve aussi le Radar Triton G, ainsi que les missile HF2 à la place de l'Exocet. Pour l'AA, les 6 frégates embarquaient initialement des lanceurs chaparral, qu'ils s'est avéré après qu'ils sont inadaptés pour les unités navales, et ils ont été remplacé par des système RAM. On peut remarquer aussi la présence d'un Phalanex à bord aussi ..

Spoiler:

La marine taïwanaise est dotée de 2 SM de la classe Zwaardvis construits aux Pays-Bas fin des années 80, et à coté on troue 2 unités de la classe Trench, utilisé pour la formation. Des appelles pour le développement ou l'Achat de plus de SM sont élevés depuis quelques mois.
depuis 2008, les 2 Zwaardvis emarquent des UGM84 BkII !

Spoiler:

Le Taïwan dispose d'une très grandes flottes de vedette armées et PLM, environ 80 unités, toutes de fabrication nationale.

Spoiler:

La flotte Amphibie, se compose principalement 2 NP, et un LSD ex-USN, le Hushai ( 193 )

Spoiler:

Quand à la flotte du soutien logistique, elle est aussi composé de plusieurs veilles unités de ravitaillements ex-USN dont on ignore leur etat opérationnel aujourd'hui. Le Taïwan a construit un Tanker il y a quelques années, le Wu Yi ( 530 )

Spoiler:

Fremo

Citation :

Raytheon Completes First Radar Upgrade for Taiwan

Raytheon Company has delivered the first Configuration-3 radar set to Taiwan. The upgrade was completed 11 months ahead of the original program plan requested by the Taiwan Air Force.

"As a trusted partner of the Taiwan Air Force, we continue to deliver on our commitments, providing improved capability that ensures the success of Taiwan's air defense mission," said Sanjay Kapoor, vice president for Patriot Programs at Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems (IDS). "The investments we made to achieve the program schedule acceleration benefit all Patriot customers – the U.S. and our 11 international partners – who have selected the combat-proven Patriot as the foundation of their air and missile defense strategy."

Raytheon IDS is the prime contractor for both domestic and international Patriot Air and Missile Defense Systems and system integrator for Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missiles.

defpro

Pour la 4emme fois

Citation :

U.S. Blocks Taiwan's F-16 Request Again


TAIPEI - Taiwan's June 24 petition to submit a letter of request (LoR) for new F-16 fighter jets was blocked by the U.S. State Department under orders from the U.S. National Security Council, sources in Taipei and Washington said.
A recent report commissioned by Lockheed Martin estimates the sale could be as high as $8.7 billion and generate 16,000 annual jobs for the life of the program.
A U.S. defense industry source said that Taiwan's de facto embassy in Washington, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO), was preparing to submit its fourth LoR for price-and-availability data for 66 F-16C/D Block 50/52 fighters to the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT). But it was told by AIT that the LoR would not be accepted. AIT declined to comment.
"AIT is not opposed to the sale," the source said. "This is a State Department and National Security Council issue."
The issue has become a Catch-22 for Taiwan, in which TECRO cannot submit an LoR to AIT because it is under State Department orders to deny it, and then TECRO is told by the State Department that the LoR cannot be processed because it was not received, he said.
Taiwan's requests for F-16C/Ds and an upgrade package for 146 aging F-16A/B fighters have been on hold since 2006 and 2009, respectively. The U.S. government blocked three earlier LoR attempts for C/Ds made between 2006 and 2007.
Pro-Taiwan groups in Washington are urging Taiwan to formally request the right to resubmit the LoR before the opportunity passes.
"They need to [resubmit] if they're going to take advantage of this window," said Rupert Hammond-Chambers, president of the U.S.-Taiwan Business Council. "If they do nothing, the moment will pass."
Support for an F-16 sale has gained momentum over the past month as members of the U.S. Congress, Lockheed and pro-Taiwan lobby groups have been working in concert to push the White House to release the fighters.
"They have submitted an LoR on three occasions and had it rejected," said Mark Stokes, a former U.S. defense official, now with the Project 2049 Institute. He said this is one reason the U.S. and Taiwan should bring back the annual arms sales talks held between 1982 and 2001.
"At least Taiwan could make its requests formally" to the U.S. government, he said.
After 2001, the arms talks were replaced with a policy that allowed for LoRs to be submitted when ready to AIT, instead of holding them until the next round of talks with the Pentagon.
The clock is running out for Taiwan. Lockheed indicates that unless there are new orders, the F-16 production line will end in 2013. Taiwan has already begun preparing for the worst.
In 2009, it began a $588 million, four-year upgrade program for 71 Ching Kuo Indigenous Defense Fighters (IDFs), allowing them to handle greater payloads at longer ranges.
Taiwan has 126 IDFs produced by the state-run Aerospace Industrial Development Corp. during the 1990s. On June 30, the first batch of upgraded IDFs will be handed over to the Taiwan Air Force in an official ceremony in Taichung. If additional F-16s are not released, the Air Force has the option of upgrading the rest of the IDF fleet.
However, new F-16C/Ds are needed to replace older F-5 and Mirage 2000 fighters scheduled for retirement within the next five to 10 years. Upgrading additional IDFs will not fill the fighter gap Taiwan is facing against China's fighter modernization efforts.
In December, China unveiled its first fifth-generation stealth fighter, the J-20. Sea trials are expected in July of China's first aircraft carrier. And China has been replacing older fighters with newer Su-27/J-11, Su-30 and J-10 fighters over the past 10 years.

defensenews

ils feraient mieux de laisser le temps que fofama tombe next year,et aller prospecter le Rafale

Citation :

Supersonic missile fails to hit target



The Ministry of National Defense yesterday confirmed reports that a new supersonic anti-ship missile had missed its target during a routine naval drill, the latest in a series of setbacks.
Analysts said the Hsiung Feng III (“Brave Wind,” HF-3) missile, designed to cruise at a maximum speed of Mach 2, or twice the speed of sound, and with a range of up to 130km, is difficult to defend against.
However, the ministry said the weapon, the nation’s first locally developed supersonic anti-ship missile, had failed to hit its objective during the drill because of a computer glitch.
“The ministry will improve on the screening of hardcore facilities … to ensure the quality of the missiles,” it said in a statement.
The military started to deploy the HF-3 on its warships last year in response to China’s rapid naval expansion.
However, military leaders were left red-faced after two failed missile tests earlier this year that earned rare criticism from President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), who urged the armed forces to practice more.
The Taipei-based China Times said the latest failure was particularly embarrassing for the Republic of China Navy, as it “coincided” with Beijing’s much-publicized military drills in the South China Sea earlier this month.
The missiles are estimated to cost Taiwanese taxpayers at least NT$100 million (US$3.45 million) each, the report said.

taipeitimes

Citation :

President hails IDF upgrade, vows to pursue warplane self-sufficiency 2011/06/30 18:01:31

Taipei, June 30 (CNA) President Ma Ying-jeou said Thursday the mid-life upgrade of the locally built indigenous defense fighters (IDFs) marks a step forward in Taiwan's warplane manufacturing technology. Addressing a ceremony marking the delivery of six newly upgraded IDF jet fighters, Ma said the government will not abandon the pursuit of defense self-sufficiency and work even harder to realize the goal. Ma said he has directed the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and state-run Aerospace Industrial Development Corp. (AIDC) to cooperate in research and development of high-performance training aircraft. "The three units should work together to foster conditions favorable for realizing our ability to make warplanes," he urged. The delivery ceremony took place at the AIDC's Shalu factory compound in central Taiwan's Taichung City. Previous media reports said the state-owned company has collaborated with the Air Force to complete the upgrade of more than 70 of the IDF jet fighters, also known as F-CK-1 Ching-kuo, at a total cost of NT$17 billion (US$586.21 million). According to AIDC Chairman Hsing Yu-kuang, the mid-life upgrade project gives the IDF jet fighters stronger attack power, with their radar systems now capable of operating in intensive jamming environment and their flight operating system upgraded from 16 bits to 32 bits. The first batch of six upgraded IDFs were delivered on Thursday. Ma congratulated the engineers who worked on the upgrade for extending the life of the used fighters and giving Taiwan's military capabilities a needed boost. "When the IDF fighter made its debut more than two decades ago, some people ridiculed it as 'I don't fly.' But the locally built fighters have proved to be highly effective with few malfunctions and a low failure rate. The IDF fighters stand for 'I do fly. I do fight and I don't fail,'" Ma said. Ma said over the past three years since his inauguration, relations across the Taiwan Strait have made substantial improvements. But Taiwan should still safeguard its national security by maintaining

focustaiwan

Citation :

Taiwan in stealth technology breakthrough: Report


TAIPEI - TAIWAN has developed a radar-absorbent material in a breakthrough in the island's development of stealth technology, local media reported on Monday.
Tests showed that a navy 50-tonne Seagull-class missile boat painted with the material was not spotted on a radar screen until it could be seen with the naked eye, the United Daily News said. It is the first time Taiwan has developed such material.
The navy declined to comment on the report. It was not immediately clear if the material would be used in the navy's fleet of 10 locally manufactured 171-tonne missile boats, whose design is already intended to reduce radar detection.
The ships, which are armed with four Taiwan-made Hsiungfeng II (Brave Wind) ship-to-ship missiles, are intended to replace the aging Seagull-class missile boats, the navy said.
Tensions between Taiwan and its former rival China have reduced markedly since Ma Ying-jeou of the China-friendly Kuomintang party came to power in 2008 on promises of beefing up trade links and allowing in more Chinese tourists.
But Beijing still considers the island part of its territory awaiting reunification, by force if necessary even though Taiwan has governed itself since China's civil war ended in 1949, prompting Taiwan to continue modernising its armed forces. -- AFP

straitstimes

Citation :

Taiwan 'tests sub-launched missile'


(AFP)



TAIPEI — Taiwan has testfired for the first time a locally developed submarine-launched missile designed to counter the threat of China's fast-expanding navy, a report Thursday.
An unknown number of Hsiung Feng II (Brave Wind II) ship-to-ship missiles, developed by the military-run Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology, were launched during a drill late last month, the Liberty Times said.
The drill was part of the navy's five-year project to enhance the capabilities of two Dutch-built Sword Dragon class submarines acquired in the late 1980s, it said, citing an unnamed military source.
"Although Taiwan has only two combat-ready submarines, once they are armed with such missiles, they will be able to serve as a deterrent to the Chinese naval fleets," the source said.
Taiwan's navy operates a fleet of four submarines, but only the two Dutch-built ships could be deployed in the event of war. The other two were built by the United States in the 1940s.
The Ministry of Defence declined to comment on the report.
Taiwan's military has also put into service land-based and air-launched Hsiung Feng IIs which have a range of 150 kilometres (90 miles).
Tensions between Taiwan and its former rival China have reduced markedly since Ma Ying-jeou of the China-friendly Kuomintang party came to power in 2008 on promises of beefing up trade links and allowing in more Chinese tourists.
But Beijing still considers the island part of its territory awaiting reunification, by force if necessary, even though Taiwan has governed itself since China's civil war ended in 1949, prompting Taiwan to continue modernising its armed forces.
Analysts say the missile will give the two subs beyond-vision striking capability that could be used to offset the threat of China's naval fleet which has undergone rapid modernisation to make it the world's second-biggest.

Copyright © 2011 AFP

a defaut de nouveaux F16,on peut vous aider a upgrader les autres
vivement les elections de 2012..

Citation :

US to upgrade Taiwan's existing F-16 jets: lawmaker
by Staff Writers
Taipei (AFP) July 3, 2011

The United States is expected to announce soon it will help Taiwan to upgrade its current F-16 fighter planes rather than selling it more advanced aircraft, a senior Taipei legislator said Sunday.

The move to upgrade the F-16A/B combat aircraft rather than sell the island the more advanced F-16C/Ds it wants will generate less pressure from Beijing, which strongly opposes any arms sales to Taiwan, analysts say.

"This will be a compromise deal," Lin Yu-fang -- the convenor of parliament's defence committee, who has twice visited Washington in the past two years to handle arms deals -- told AFP.

Taiwan has repeatedly pressed the United States to sell it F-16 C/Ds, as China embarks on a rapid drive to build up its offensive military capability.

But such a sale would ignite anger from Beijing, which reacted furiously in January 2010 when the Barack Obama administration announced a 6.4-billion-dollar arms package for the self-governing island.

That package included Patriot missiles, Black Hawk helicopters and equipment for Taiwan's F-16 fleet, but no submarines or new fighter jets.

US lawmakers across party lines last month urged Obama to sell Taiwan the new-generation jets, with some accusing the administration of showing deference to China.

"The United States is anticipated to make the decision (on the F-16s) within the next two to three months. The Obama administration certainly won't want to see the arms deal become an issue during his election campaign for the second term," Lin said.

Taiwan has governed itself since China's civil war ended in 1949, but Beijing still considers it part of its territory awaiting reunification, by force if necessary.

The remarks came as the American Institute in Taiwan -- the de facto US embassy there -- confirmed that Kin Moy, soon to become deputy assistant secretary of state for China and Taiwan affairs, had visited last week, local media reported.

Moy met President Ma Ying-jeou and Tsai Ing-wen, chairwoman of the leading opposition Democratic Progressive Party, the Taipei-based Apple Daily said.

Ma has worked to improve ties with China since he was elected in 2008 but has also repeatedly urged Washington to sell Taiwan the F-16 C/D jets, saying they are crucial to maintaining the island's self-defence capacity.

le deal qui cache des pressions

Citation :

U.S. To Decide on Taiwan F-16s Oct. 1
By WENDELL MINNICK
Published: 22 Jul 2011 11:55

TAIPEI - The Obama administration will make a final decision on the sale of 66 F-16C/D fighter jets to Taiwan by Oct. 1, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, on July 21.

Since 2006, the U.S. has repeatedly rejected Taiwan's letter of request (LOR) for new F-16C/D fighters. China has called the proposed sale, estimated to be worth more than $8 billion, a "red line."

Cornyn has been blocking Senate confirmation of William Burns, nominated to become deputy secretary of state, in an effort to pressure Clinton to approve the deal.

Clinton appears less than likely to upset recent progress in Sino-U.S. relations by releasing new fighters to Taiwan, although she might instead release a mid-life upgrade (MLU) package for the self-governing island's 146 aging F-16A/B fighters.

Last year, the U.S. accepted Taiwan's LOR for the $4.5 billion upgrade package, but then froze the release due to Chinese pressure.

A State Department release of the F-16A/B MLU "would be a reiteration of a decision that is already over one year old," said Rupert Hammond-Chambers, president of the U.S.-Taiwan Business Council. "It is not a new commitment."

Since 2007, the U.S. has released more than $16 billion in new arms to Taiwan. After each release, China has increased rhetorical threats and punitive actions. In January 2010, after Washington released a $6.4 billion arms deal to Taiwan, Beijing threatened economic punishment and canceled military exchanges.

Restarting the military dialogue with China has been difficult. Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, just concluded a trip to China to expand military relations. Though Mullen expressed concerns about China's military modernization after his trip, the U.S. appears committed to advancing strategic talks.

Clinton's announced deadline happens to fall on China's National Day, roughly equivalent to America's Fourth of July.

But Hammond-Chambers said the timing makes the release of new F-16s difficult for another reason: It is sandwiched between U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden's trip to China next month and Chinese President Hu Jintao's trip to Hawaii in November. Xi Jinping, Hu's anointed successor, will visit the U.S. this winter.

"It doesn't seem plausible that the Obama administration would stand-up for Taiwan policy in the face of two such senior visits from China," Hammond-Chambers said.

While the announcement to make a decision is welcome, "We suspect that the outcome simply reiterates decisions already made, and therefore fails to address Taiwan's central need - new combat aircraft to meet the growing threat from China," Hammond-Chambers said.

Andrew Yang, Taiwan's deputy minister of defense, said the release of new F-16s would not be the end of the world. China has been calling every arms sale a red line for 30 years, he said.

"China will be extremely unpleasant and upset," Yang said. "I don't believe they will take drastic action."

But a failure to release F-16s will damage Taiwan's ability to defend itself, he said. "If we don't have the required jets and replacement of vintage fighter aircraft, you lose your leverage."

Yang said Taiwan has the right to defend itself from outside aggression.

He confirmed that Taiwan's military is researching an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) weapon.

Taiwan also is developing new missiles, but Yang would not confirm whether the self-governing island is preparing to field the Hsiung Feng 2E land-attack cruise missile.

Yang said losing Taiwan to China would be catastrophic for U.S. military power in the Asia-Pacific region. If China built military bases on the island, they would threaten U.S. military dominance of the East China Sea and South China Sea.

The deputy defense minister said Washington also would lose a vital intelligence collector.

"We are collecting good stuff," and sharing it with the U.S., he said.

Taiwan's fighters are aging; meanwhile, China revealed in December its J-20 stealth fighter, and it is preparing sea trials of its first aircraft carrier by the end of the year.

Taiwan has 126 Indigenous Defense Fighters (IDFs), 56 Mirage 2000s, 146 F-16A/Bs and about 60 F-5E/F Tigers. The F-5s and Mirages have serious maintenance problems and will be retired within a decade.

Taiwan's state-run Aerospace Industrial Development Corp. is upgrading 71 IDFs, with delivery scheduled by 2014, and it could upgrade the remaining 55 IDFs if the F-16C/Ds are not approved. Taiwan also has an option to build a new C/D variant of the IDF, but this will not fill the fighter gap with China.

defensenews

La chine possède déjà des armes IEM, elle s'en sert pour neutraliser les satellites.

Citation :

Taïwan rebaptise un missile après les tests d'un porte-avions chinois


Taïwan a proclamé son nouveau missile Hsiung Feng III "chasseur de porte-avions" après le test, mardi, par la Chine de son premier porte-avions, l'ex-navire soviétique Varyag, ont annoncé les médias internationaux.

Une affiche représentant un missile Hsiung Feng III frappant un porte-avions et portant l'inscription "C'est un chasseur de porte-avions" a été installée à Taipei au lendemain du début des essais en mer du Varyag, qui n'a pas encore été rebaptisé en chinois.

Taïwan a déjà présenté son missile à maintes reprises, mais n'a jamais indiqué qu'il était techniquement capable de lutter contre des porte-avions. Les missiles Hsiung Feng III équipent plusieurs navires de la Marine taïwanaise.

La Chine a racheté la coque de l'ancien porte-avions soviétique lourd à l'Ukraine en 1998. L'Ukraine l'a désarmé et en a retiré les moteurs avant de le vendre. En 2005, les travaux de rééquipement du Varyag ont commencé sur les chantiers navals de Dalian, dans la province du Liaoning (nord-est).

RIA Novosti

Viper a écrit:

La chine possède déjà des armes IEM, elle s'en sert pour neutraliser les satellites.

t 'es sur! je pense qu'elle envoie des missiles type intercontinental pour détruire les satellites dans la haute atmosphére, elle avait effectué ce genre de test sur un de ses propres sattelites il y a de sa quelque années et cela lui a valu les critiques des usa...

se n'est pas la seule manière de neutralisé un satellite, les IEM et les Laser permettent aussi éliminer les atellites adverses de façon temporaire ou définitive ...
Avant l'histoire du missile anti-satellite, les Chinois avaient déjà aveuglé satellite avec des lasers.
Ici Pékin a tout simplement voulu délivré un message à Washington " nous sommes en mesure de cibler vos satellite" mais à ce que Washington réponda quelque mois plus tard par le tire d'un SM3 sur un de ses satellites...

merci viper pour l'info, la progression chinoise en matiere d'armement est impressionnant, la situation de taiwan va devenir intenable dans quelques années malgré que son armée soit performante

Citation :

Taiwan looks to develop advanced unmanned systems



Taiwan appears to be developing two advanced unmanned aerial system concepts, as it looks to bolster its defence capabilities in the light of other countries' reluctance to sell it advanced combat aircraft for fear of angering China.

Taiwan's Chun-Shan Institute of Science and Technology - part of the country's Ministry of National Defense - displayed two concepts at last week's Taipei Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition.

They closely resemble current American designs. One is nearly identical to the General Atomics MQ-9 Predator A. The other is similar to developmental delta-winged unmanned combat aerial vehicles such as the Boeing X-45 and Northrop Grumman X-47B

Taiwan has the technology to create a UAV with capabilities equivalent to the MQ-9 today, said the institute, which researches and develops advanced aeronautical technologies and capabilities for the military.

The delta-winged unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) is still in the research stage, but could be deployed within ten years.

In a video displayed at the show, the MQ-9-style UAV patrolled above the Taiwan Strait, controlled by ground stations on the western coast of the country. A missile barrage from the mainland destroys several stations, but full communications are quickly restored.

Then, the MQ-9 vectors a Taiwan air force Lockheed Martin F-16 to attack and destroy a warship. Later, it provides guidance for a UCAV to destroy a Chinese Sukhoi Su-27 fighter with a missile. The UCAVs also strike land targets on the Chinese mainland.

Great uncertainty clouds the future of Taiwan's fighter aircraft fleet, with the US still to decide whether to sell Taiwan 66 F-16C/Ds on 1 October.

In the face of foreign foot-dragging, indigenous aircraft development, though expensive, is often the least unattractive option for Taipei.

flightglobal

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F-16: Washington refuse de fournir des chasseurs à Taïwan




Les Etats-Unis ont refusé de livrer à Taïwan 66 chasseurs ultramodernes de type F-16 C/D, a annoncé le porte-parole du ministère taïwanais de la Défense, cité par Defense News.

"Nous sommes très déçus par les Etats-Unis", a indiqué la source.

Face à l'augmentation de la puissance militaire de la Chine continentale, Taïwan avait à plusieurs reprises demandé aux Etats-Unis de lui vendre un lot de chasseurs ultramodernes.

Selon Defense News, la semaine dernière une délégation du ministère américain de la Défense a communiqué sa décision à Taïwan et a proposé à ce dernier de mettre à niveau les avions F16A/B qui équipent déjà l'armée de l'air taïwanaise en achetant des équipements perfectionnés et des pièces détachés destinés à moderniser ces appareils.

En octobre 2008, l'administration de George W.Bush a convenu de livrer à Taïwan une quantité importante d'armements et ce, malgré de multiples protestations de la Chine. En réaction, Pékin a interrompu son dialogue avec Washington sur les questions militaires qui n'a repris qu'en février 2009.

Début janvier dernier, en réponse à l'intention de Washington de fournir à Taipei un important lot d'armement, Pékin a fait porter aux Etats-Unis la responsabilité du torpillage des discussions entre les parties en conflit.

Les relations dans le domaine de la défense entre la Chine continentale et Taïwan restent tendues depuis 1949, lorsque les forces armées du Guomindang battues pendant la guerre civile ont trouvé refuge sur l'île.

Taiwan est de facto un territoire autonome, possédant ses propres forces armées équipées principalement d'armements américains.

Ria

normalement la reponse etait attendue pour octobre

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Talk of the Day -- Political dogfight takes toll on arms purchase 2011/08/15 20:27:44

Bickering between the country's two major political camps back in 2004 has taken its toll on the military's plan to procure two additional Patriot PAC III anti-missile batteries from the United States, a local newspaper reported Monday. The United Daily News (UDN) cited military sources as saying that the Obama administration approved in January 2010 the sale of two additional Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC) III anti-missile systems to Taiwan, but the military has not yet signed the deal because the cost exceeds its budget by 40 percent. The paper said the U.S. authorities have informed the military that if no progress is made on the project by the end of this year, the previously quoted prices for the systems would be invalidated and that the new prices could be even higher. The following is an excerpt of the UDN report on the issue: In January 2004, the then ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) announced it would hold a nationwide referendum along with the presidential election to be held on March 20 that year. The first question in the referendum was asking the voters whether the country should beef up its anti-missile defense capability. Although most of those who cast ballots in the referendum supported the initiative, the referendum was deemed invalid in accordance with the country's Referendum Act because less than half of eligible voters bothered to take part in the vote. Following the vote, the Kuomintang, which led a coalition that had a majority in the Legislature, boycotted the budget bill for the PAC III anti-missile batteries on the grounds that the Referendum Act stipulated that a topic that failed in a referendum could not be put up for a vote for another three years. As a result, the roughly NT$120 billion (US$4.14 billion) in funding for the purchase of six Patriot anti-missile batteries did not clear the legislative floor until 2007 -- three years after the 2004 referendum veto. Military sources said that when the Bush administration agreed to sell Taiwan four Patriot PAC III systems in 2008, the price far exceeded the budget proposed in 2004. Four batteries almost used up the budget set aside for the procurement of six batteries. Therefore, since the Obama administration agreed to sell the remaining two systems in January 2010, the military has had difficulty raising enough money to strike the deal. According to the sources, the military has tried to lobby the Pentagon to lower the price for the last two batteries on several occasions, but little progress has been made so far. The sources said the military will have to increase its budget to cover the cost for procuring the remaining two advanced anti-missile batteries and that the delivery may also be deferred. Air Force sources said they are speeding up administrative procedures for the procurement project. Political analysts said Taiwanese politicians set the worst example between 2004 and 2007 by treating defensive weapon procurements as a political football. Politicians are now quiet about their past failings and apparently feel no remorse for letting taxpayers pay for their bickering. According to the analysts, the international arms market tends to be a seller's market and weapons prices usually rise by 3.5 percent to 5 percent annually. The United States is the only country in the world that dares to ignore China's pressure and sell defensive weapons to Taiwan. Local politicians should keep this in mind and never again use arms procurement deals as pawns for political infighting, the analysts said. The PAC-3 is a surface-to-air guided missile defense system that builds upon the existing Patriot air defense infrastructure

focustaiwan

Citation :

SOURCE:Flight International
CEi pitches BQM-167i target drone to Taiwan

US firm Composites Engineering (CEi) hopes to pitch its BQM-167i unmanned target drone to the Taiwanese navy.

A tender is yet to be announced, but the company's Taiwan agent said the Republic of China navy is likely to require 10 reusable drones.

CEi has already sold the BQM-167i system to the Taiwanese air force, but declined to provide specific numbers.

The BQM-167i has a maximum speed of Mach 0.93, and can operate across a flight envelope covering loads from +9g to -2g.

http://www.compositeeng.com/uav_BQM167.htm