taiwannews
TAIPEI (Taiwan
News) – The first of 12 P-3C anti-submarine aircraft Taiwan ordered from
the United States arrived in Pingtung County Wednesday. The Ministry
of National Defense said the delivery of the upgraded planes would
significantly improve the country’s defense capabilities in the air and
over the seas.
The first of the long-range patrol aircraft was welcomed on the ground at the Pingtung airport by jets of water in a traditional greeting after a five-hour flight from Guam.
The last of the planes was expected to arrive in 2015, the military said.
Staff at the Pingtung Air Force Base prevented Taiwanese reporters from speaking with the US pilots who flew the planes to Taiwan, reports said. US military sales to Taiwan are a sensitive topic, with China repeatedly calling for such transactions to stop because of its official One China policy.
The administration of US President George W. Bush approved the deal in 2007 for a total estimated value of US$1.96 billion (NT$ billion).
The original P-3 Orion was first launched by Lockheed Martin in the 1960s. The upgraded P-3C version is a long-range submarine-hunting airplane with turboprop engines.
The aircraft was designed for missions involving the surveillance of ships and submarines but could also be equipped with air-to-surface and air-to-air missiles. As a result, Taiwan could use as a weapon for warfare in the air but also over sea and land, reports said. The plane’s typical sting tail serves for the magnetic detection of submarines.
The US is planning to replace its current fleet of P-3C aircraft with the Boeing P-8A Poseidon, reports said.
The first of the long-range patrol aircraft was welcomed on the ground at the Pingtung airport by jets of water in a traditional greeting after a five-hour flight from Guam.
The last of the planes was expected to arrive in 2015, the military said.
Staff at the Pingtung Air Force Base prevented Taiwanese reporters from speaking with the US pilots who flew the planes to Taiwan, reports said. US military sales to Taiwan are a sensitive topic, with China repeatedly calling for such transactions to stop because of its official One China policy.
The administration of US President George W. Bush approved the deal in 2007 for a total estimated value of US$1.96 billion (NT$ billion).
The original P-3 Orion was first launched by Lockheed Martin in the 1960s. The upgraded P-3C version is a long-range submarine-hunting airplane with turboprop engines.
The aircraft was designed for missions involving the surveillance of ships and submarines but could also be equipped with air-to-surface and air-to-air missiles. As a result, Taiwan could use as a weapon for warfare in the air but also over sea and land, reports said. The plane’s typical sting tail serves for the magnetic detection of submarines.
The US is planning to replace its current fleet of P-3C aircraft with the Boeing P-8A Poseidon, reports said.
