INDO-PACIFIC Taiwan Debuts Indigenous Jet Trainer OE Watch Commentary: Taiwan has unveiled a new jet trainer, developed locally, to improve fighter pilot training and increase the countries’ self-reliance. The “Brave Eagle” [鹰勇] project was first proposed in 2016 and work began in 2017. Though Taiwan continues to operate submarines and fighter jets purchased from the Netherlands and France, most nations have ceased selling arms to the island due to pressure from the People’s Republic of China. Taiwan has roughly 100 fixed wing aircraft for pilot training split between T-34C propeller driven trainers and AT-3A/B Tzu-Chung advanced jet trainer. According to the article, Taiwan’s inventory of aging F-5 E/FII fighters are also used in training. Developed in the mid-1980s, the AT-3 Tzu Chung (自强; lit. Self Reliance), was one of several earlier initiatives, which included F-CK-1 indigenous fighter to reduce Taiwan’s reliance on imports of fighter jets AIDC T-5 Brave Eagle. Source: 玄史生 via Wikimedia, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:XAT-5_Advanced_Trainer_Model_Display_at_AIDC_ from abroad. Booth_20150815a.jpg, Public Domain. Taiwan has raised defense spending, and promoted self-reliance in the defense sector as both a national security issue and a way to promote growth in high-tech manufacturing and related fields. According to Taiwan’s 2017 Quadrennial Defense Report, another goal of indigenizing the program is to promote spin-off technologies for the civilian sector. Taiwan is also attempting to indigenize much of its naval development with a facility under construction to build Taiwan’s first indigenous submarine. The first prototype is slated for completion by the end of 2024. The article notes that without domestic programs replacing imports, Taiwan’s aerospace and maritime R&D would likely wither. End OE Watch Commentary (Wood) “If we still relied on importing advanced jet trainers, our research and development capability of military aircraft and vessels would stand very little chance of surviving.” Source: “Taiwan’s 1st indigenous advanced jet trainer makes public debut,” Kyodo News, 24 September 2019. https://english.kyodonews.net/ news/2019/09/1fdee542565d-taiwans-1st-indigenous-advanced-jet-trainer-makes-public-debut.html Taiwan’s first prototype of indigenous advanced jet trainer made its public debut on Tuesday, the first completion of a major project of President Tsai Ing-wen’s “design and build at home” policy for military equipment. At the launching ceremony at a factory of the state-owned Aerospace Industrial Development Corp. (ADIC) in Greater Taichung, central Taiwan, Tsai called the completion of the aircraft, named Yong Ying or Brave Eagle in English, a “historic moment.” Tsai recalled that she decided not long after taking office May 2016 to build advanced jet trainers at home “to turn the tide around.” “If we still relied on importing advanced jet trainers, our research and development capability of military aircraft and vessels would stand very little chance of surviving,” she said. Tsai said since the work began in 2017, the NT$68.6 billion (US$2.2 billion) project has created at least 1,200 jobs at home and more than half of the orders go to local manufacturers. The air force contracted AIDC to build 66 advanced trainers to replace Taiwan’s aging AT-3 Tzu Chung jet trainers, as well as F-5E/F “Tiger II” fighters that are mainly used now to train pilots. It plans to see the completion of the prototype of the aircraft this year and the start of mass production in 2023. The goal is to take the delivery of the last batch no later than 2028. A high-ranking AIDC manager, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that the company plans to build four prototypes: two for ground testing and two others for flight testing. The prototype made public debut on Tuesday is scheduled for its flight testing in June next year. If all goes well, maybe it can deliver the last batch ahead of time, he said. AIDC President Ma Wan-june told reporters that the advanced jet trainer is aimed to simplify the training process of fighter jet pilots. Currently, a fighter jet pilot first flies a propeller plane before moving on to AT-3 and then F-5. With the advanced jet trainer, the person can fly a fighter jet after completing the training of a propeller aircraft and then the advanced jet trainer. The AIDC has the experience of co-building the AIDC F-CK-1 Ching-kuo, commonly known as the Indigenous Defense Fighter, with the help of the United States in the late 1980s. The IDF fighter was until now the last project of indigenous aircraft. When Tsai’s predecessor Ma Ying-jeou was in power between 2008 and 2016, the AIDC signed a teaming agreement with the manufacture of Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master transonic trainer to build advanced trainers. However, since Tsai took office, she has been pushing a “design and build at home” policy for military airplanes, vessels and submarines, leaving the Italian aircraft maker out of the picture. After years of reluctance to sell new, advanced fighter jets to Taiwan, the United States finally decided last month to sell F-16 Block 70 fighter jets worth $8 billion. The last sale of U.S. fighter jets to Taiwan took place in 1992 under the George H.W. Bush administration. The move drew strong protests from China, which regards Taiwan as a renegade province awaiting unification, by force if necessary. The AIDC is also responsible for refitting a fleet of 142 older model F-16s, which has undergone several upgrades. 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