Taiwan prefers to modernize its versatile F-16

AESA radar become budget for any owner of this multi-role fighter.

Taiwan arrived too into the international purchasing scenery, which sees the great economic powers fighting with billionaire proposal to sell or buy the instruments that are going to take part in future conflicts.

Taipei's eye felt on the arrive of the most popular and new upgrades in the international market, obviously most of them USA-made, such as new electronic-war systems, new AESA multi-band radars and the new helmet-mounted cueing systems.

The negotiation, leaded to the application of all these upgrades on 152 F-16 A/B Taiwanese fighters (a project applied by America itself on its fleet, counting many exemplars of this versatile aircraft), provide a cost of $3,7 B and Taiwan declared talks with US Government are going on smoothly.

We also remember the not far Korea declined the proposal of upgrading its F-16 fleet, concentrating on more modern products.

On F-16 AESA, currently two competitors are developing systems to conquer this war market slice: Northrop Grumman (with its SABR (Scalable Agile Beam Radar) system and Raytheon with its RACR (or Raytheon Advanced Combat Radar).

In view of F-16 availability and the success that always driven this aircraft into international purchase, great companies of this sector are agree to affirm which the industry that will win the AESA upgrade contest will surely establish a monopoly on these gears.

Source: By (WAPA) - Taipei, Taiwan, 09 February 2012 - Military Aviation News (www.avionews.it)

Photo: Taiwan Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcon.
Engineers perform final safety checks on a ROC Airforce F-16 Fighter Jet. 13 years old, Taiwan's fleet is the backbone of the island's air defence.
(Photo by 30 September 2011 - wikimedia.org)

(8.02.2012)