ROC President Ma Ying-jeou said Jan. 16 that performance upgrades to the Indigenous Defense Fighter have provided a major boost to the nation’s sea defense and security.
The president made the remarks while inspecting upgraded IDFs during their unveiling at an airbase in Tainan City, southern Taiwan.
Ma said that in the early 1980s, when the U.S. began to decrease arms sales to Taiwan, the government decided to develop the IDF to maintain the nation's defensive capability, with the plane entering service in 1992.
According to the president, the IDFs have so far seen more than 20 years of service, and their superior performance has earned them the moniker "little F-16." A total of 71 planes were in the first batch of upgrades, which covered systems for electronic navigation, radar, cockpit equipment and brakes, as well as weapons.
The weapons upgrade includes installation of the Wan Chien long-range air-to-surface missile, which has similar capabilities to those used by the U.S. military, Ma said. The improvements to the braking system also boost pilot safety, he added.
Although cross-strait relations are at their most peaceful and stable in 60 years, Ma said, there is no room for slackening on the defense front.
The armed forces have been steadily boosting their overall capability with new equipment since November last year, including P-3C Orion antisubmarine aircraft for the navy and AH-64E Apache attack helicopters for the army, the president said. (SDH)
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