http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2012/05/08/2003532288
Just as suggested here recently, Taiwan is realizing that the right jet to survive and prevail against possible Chinese aggression is not the latest model F-16 but the short takeoff and vertical landing variant of the Joint Strike Fighter, otherwise known as the F-35B. Taiwan is really the perfect customer for the F-35B, geographically they are sitting on China’s doorstep and they are strategically focused of dispersed fighter operations due to the threat post by China’s ballistic and cruise missiles. As discussed in the Aviationintel piece linked at the bottom of this post, the F-35B would not only allow Taiwan to field 5th generation stealth technology as a deterrent toward Chinese aggression, but it would also allow them to operate off of small concrete pads, less that 1,000′ in length, instead of large stretches of highway which are still vulnerable to ballistic and cruise missile barrages. Further, the F-35B fits Taiwan’s value of sortie generation and survivability over range and offensive punch. This is a no-brainer for the Obama Administration and would be a huge boost for the F-35 program, and especially the troubled B variant.
I do find it strange that Taiwan would decide to wait for the F-35B when the US Government is currently not even willing to clear the sale of new fourth generation F-16s, an aircraft that we even recently sold Pakistan. Adding insult to injury, the comprehensive upgrade package for their existing F-16A/B fleet that the White House insisted on in lieu of new aircraft was originally quoted at costing some $35M+ per aircraft! This did not even include the high price of testing and integrating a new modular AESA radar into their decades old F-16s, a cost that the USAF, who is planning on upgrading their own F-16′s similarly, would love to pass off on the Taiwanese. The Obama Administration is wrong on this, Taiwan should be able to buy anything they ask for that we already export to similar allies. Further, they should be offered a place at the fragile F-35 table if they are willing to pony up and purchase the jets. The White House’s disconnect on this topic blows my mind as their very own shift in strategic focus pretty much dictates the need for our allies in Pacific region to be armed with the latest and greatest exportable US weaponry so that we don’t have to constantly fill the deterrent role vis-a-vis China. Maybe more importantly, by allowing our allies to arm themselves with 5th generation fighters, if things ever heat up in the region America will have a constantly “deployed” force of highly capable aircraft that can fight alongside our air forces instead of behind them, all at no cost to the US taxpayer.
Recent Aviationintel article on the topic:
I agree that Taiwan should get the F-35B, but I think in Taiwan’s best long term interest is to develop it’s own Arms industry in the same fashion like Israel, South Africa and Korea. I’d also think Taiwan should look at getting Kilo class SSK with American hardware.
Chinese diplomatic pressure on Washington over arms deals in the past few years is the likely reason. As ‘US Deny Taiwan New F-16 Fighters’ in defensenews.com points out, China holds about 8% of US debt, so they’ve got the USA’s goolies in a vice, and they can squeeze whenever it suits them. The worry is that if China decides to stop buying US debt or begins selling it, it would weaken the Dollar and further reduce the US credit rating (http://www.forbes.com/sites/williampentland/2011/08/16/chinas-not-so-veiled-threats-to-exploit-u-s-debt/).
Nicky, do they have subs? Seems smart.
Aware of this but since we are basically preparing contingency installations and strategy for a war with China I think it would be best if we sell weapons to those who are our historical friends without pandering to the Chinese. If they dump our dept its mutually assured destruction.
Perhaps. Some economists think little would change if the Chinese were to drop US debt. They reckon it would get snapped up first by US allies and Western nations, who in turn owe debt to the Chinese, so in essence they’d be swapping their Dollars for Dollars.
Either way, I think we can agree that the Chinese economy weathered the banking crisis much better than the US economy. With it being an election year, you can bet that the Obama administration doesn’t want to rock the boat. Even if the Chinese sold a small portion of US debt, it might still undermine the US recovery efforts.
Interesting, that makes good sense. The claims on a US debt liquidation from China are so wide spanning its hard know who to believe.
The PRC and other bean counters are only concerned with the total number and type of A/C. Any deal that changes that alters “the strategic balance” in the region, and becomes chips that the diplomats play with.
Whether the Obama Administration is holding a Taiwanese F-16/35B sale in its pocket for a “signal” later if tensions mount or if it is simply incompetent is an open question.