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Taiwan releases funds for Harpoon missile cache
May 5, 2003 (by
Lieven Dewitte) -
The latest installment payment to the United States for Harpoon missiles already in the Taiwan arsenal will be made following political wrangling over the use of domestic missiles versus U.S.-made ones.
The Defense Committee of the Legislative Yuan released funds yesterday for payment of the U.S.-made Harpoon missiles to be installed on Taiwan Air Force F-16 jet fighters.
The committee lifted its freeze on the NT$300 million (US$8.57 million) budget for Harpoon missile procurement after the Taiwan Air Force promised to purchase locally developed Hsiungfeng II air-to-sea missiles to equip its Chingkuo indigenous defense fighters (IDF).
While screening the ROC Air Force 2003 budget plan during the last legislative session, some legislators questioned why the Taiwan Air Force would purchase Harpoon missiles instead of Hsiungfeng II missiles developed by the military-run Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology (CIST). They demanded that the Air Force give an explanation to the Defense Committee before using the funds appropriated for the current fiscal year.
Speaking at the Defense Committee meeting Thursday, Air Force Commander-in-Chief Gen. Lee Tian-yu said the United States has delivered all of the Harpoon missiles purchased by Taiwan. "We still owe the U.S. contractor some NT$800 million, including NT$300 million to be paid this year."
Air force chief of staff General Ke Kuang-yeh said all the Harpoon missiles will be used aboard US-made F-16 fighters. "It would take a great deal of time and money to refit the F-16s for the Hsiungfeng II missiles," Ke said. Moreover, he said, the military cannot modify the F-16 systems without prior US approval.
The committee lifted its freeze on the NT$300 million (US$8.57 million) budget for Harpoon missile procurement after the Taiwan Air Force promised to purchase locally developed Hsiungfeng II air-to-sea missiles to equip its Chingkuo indigenous defense fighters (IDF).
While screening the ROC Air Force 2003 budget plan during the last legislative session, some legislators questioned why the Taiwan Air Force would purchase Harpoon missiles instead of Hsiungfeng II missiles developed by the military-run Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology (CIST). They demanded that the Air Force give an explanation to the Defense Committee before using the funds appropriated for the current fiscal year.
Speaking at the Defense Committee meeting Thursday, Air Force Commander-in-Chief Gen. Lee Tian-yu said the United States has delivered all of the Harpoon missiles purchased by Taiwan. "We still owe the U.S. contractor some NT$800 million, including NT$300 million to be paid this year."
Air force chief of staff General Ke Kuang-yeh said all the Harpoon missiles will be used aboard US-made F-16 fighters. "It would take a great deal of time and money to refit the F-16s for the Hsiungfeng II missiles," Ke said. Moreover, he said, the military cannot modify the F-16 systems without prior US approval.
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