28 March 2013

News Story: Taiwan To Get U.S. Anti-sub Aircraft in 2015

P-3C Orion (Wiki Info - Image: Wiki Commons)

TAIPEI — Taiwan is on track to take delivery of 12 anti-submarine aircraft from the United States by mid-2015 as it seeks to beef up its naval defenses against China, a report said Wednesday.

Navy Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Hsu Pei-shan spelled out the timeframe when asked by a lawmaker about a possible delay in the delivery of the aircraft, the state Central News Agency reported.

Washington agreed in 2007 to sell Taiwan the refurbished P-3C Orion patrol aircraft, which reportedly will expand the surveillance range of Taipei’s anti-submarine fleet tenfold. The P-3C fleet, which will cost just under $2 billion, is intended to replace the island’s aging S-2T anti-submarine aircraft.

Read the full story at DefenseNews