By WENDELL MINNICK
TAIPEI — New military aircraft will soon begin filling Taiwan’s skies as it takes delivery of new fixed-wing maritime patrol aircraft along with attack and utility helicopters.
All told, $7.6 billion worth of new equipment and aircraft designed to keep China’s hands off the island will begin filling the arsenals of Taiwan’s military this year.
The list includes 12 refurbished Lockheed Martin P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft ($1.96 billion), 30 Boeing AH-64E Apache Longbow attack helicopters ($2.53 billion), and 60 Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk utility helicopters ($3.1 billion).
“This equipment is an important ongoing testament to the U.S. security commitment to Taiwan,” said Rupert Hammond-Chambers, president, U.S.-Taiwan Business Council.
Due to the procurement delays caused by political infighting within the legislature from 2004 to 2007, the equipment is coming into Taiwan’s inventory several years late. The result is “undue stress on older equipment that should already have been retired, undue stress on personnel through maintenance and undue stress on Taiwan military’s procurement budget,” he said.
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