By WENDELL MINNICK
TAIPEI — After nearly a decade of waiting, wrangling with budgets, writing proposals and whistling past the graveyard, new aircraft deliveries have begun arriving in Taiwan.
Over the past 60 days, deliveries of 12 P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft and 30 AH-64E Apache Longbow attack helicopters have begun arriving in Taiwan. Sixty UH-60M Black Hawk utility helicopters are expected to begin arriving in 2014.
Despite struggles to pay for new equipment with dwindling defense budgets and improved relations with China, planners in Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) are sketching out proposals for new arms procurements from the US.
Sources in both Taiwan and the US indicate the top priority is acquiring diesel-powered attack submarines. In 2001, the US offered Taiwan eight submarines, but made no explanation on how it would fulfill the order. The US does not build diesel submarines, and many countries refuse to provide them to Taiwan due to political pressure from China.
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