US approves $500 million in training, logistics, and maintenance for Taiwan’s F-16s

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/04/16
By: Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

(By Central News Agency)

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The U.S. State Department has approved the potential sale for the continuation of a pilot training program and maintenance and logistics support for F-16 aircraft currently stationed at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona valued at an estimated cost of US$500 million, according to a statement released on Monday (April 15).

According to an announcement issued by the State Department, the request for continued training and support for its F-16 fighters includes the following:

“flight training; participation in approved training exercises; inert/dummy training munitions; supply and maintenance support; spares and repair parts; support equipment; program management; publications; documentation; personnel training and training equipment; fuel and fueling services; engineering, technical, and logistics support services; and other related elements of program and logistical support necessary to sustain a long-term CONUS training program.”
The total estimated cost of the program is US$500 million and the term “CONUS” refers to the training of Taiwanese F-16 fighter pilots in the Continental United States. The State Department emphasized that the sale is meant to improve the defensive capabilities of Taiwan, which the department credits as being a stabilizing force in the region:    [FULL  STORY]