Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/01/21
By: Wei Shu and Elaine Hou
Taipei, Jan. 21 (CNA) Taiwan’s state-owned Aerospace Industrial Development Corp. (AIDC) said it has
Taiwan’s F-16 fighters (CNA file photo)
begun an upgrade of the country’s fleet of U.S.-manufactured F-16 fighter jets and that the work is expected to be completed within six years.
The first batch of four F-16s is being upgraded at the AIDC’s plant, said the company, adding that a new hangar will be launched soon to facilitate the retrofit program.
In order to carry out the program locally, the manufacturer of the jets — Lockheed Martin in the United States — sent its engineers to Taiwan last year and helped train local personnel at the AIDC on how to perform the upgrades to improve the aircraft’s combat capability.
According to the AIDC, the retrofit program will include installing advanced equipment on the fighters, including the AN/APG active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar system, currently used in the U.S. F-22 and F-35 fighter aircraft. The Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System and the short-range air-to-air missile AIM-9 Sidewinder will also be installed. [FULL STORY]
