By WENDELL MINNICK
TAIPEI — Taiwan’s Air Force faces continued criticism among defense industry and Ministry of National Defense (MND) officials for procuring three Eurocopter EC225 helicopters in 2010 in a $111 million deal. Eurocopter beat out Sikorsky’s S-92 for a medium-lift helicopter for the search-and-rescue (SAR) requirement for an eventual planned procurement of 20 platforms.
The three SAR helicopters will go into service in July during a ceremony presided over by Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou. The procurement is the first European defense sale to Taiwan in two decades and sources in the MND complain that procuring the EC225 sends the wrong message to Washington, which has continued to provide arms to Taiwan despite threats by Beijing.
Read the full story at DefenseNews