Taiwan signs F-16 upgrade deal with US

An F-16 fighter in the ROC Air Force.

Taiwan has recently signed a proposal by the United States to refit the country's aging F-16A/B jet fighters to seal the arms deal, the country's air force said Monday.

"The United States will now begin selecting the contractor [for the upgrade program]," said Lt Gen Wu Wan-chiao, director of the air force's political warfare department.

The proposal, sent to Taipei by Washington in early May, contained listed prices totaling some US$3.8 billion that were in line with the budget approved by Taiwan's cabinet, military officials have said.
Included in the retrofit of Taiwan's A/B fighters is the installation of Active Electronically Scanned Array radar. Equipping the fighters with the radar is a new initiative, officials said.

Other items on the list include AIM-9X Sidewinder air-to-air missiles and Joint Direct Attack Munition guidance kits, according to the officials.

The proposal came after the administration of US President Barack Obama approved the sale of a refit and training package last September for the F-16A/Bs instead of offering Taiwan the more advanced F-16C/D fighters it has long requested