Taiwan's defense minister says he's still focused on prioritizing an "asymmetric defense strategy." That was in response to a Financial Times report that says Taiwan is looking for a US$15 billion arms deal that includes the F-35 fighter jet. But does Taiwan really need the system?
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00This is the U.S. F-35. It's the most advanced fighter jet in the world, and Taiwan is reportedly
00:08looking to acquire the aircraft. But its high cost and sensitive military technology have
00:14prompted many observers to question just how effective this system would be for the country's
00:19defense. Taiwan's military told Taiwan Plus that it will always procure the weapons it
00:26believes it needs to create a robust defense. And Taiwan's defense minister says he won't
00:31say anything more on the potential sale.
00:47The question came up after a Financial Times article revealed potential plans for Taiwan
00:52to spend over 15 billion U.S. dollars on U.S. weapons and systems. Systems like retired
00:59U.S. destroyers, air defense missiles, and the F-35. Taiwan is already working to upgrade
01:08its existing fleet of F-16 fighter jets, and there have been calls for the country to try
01:12and modernize other aircraft in its fleet. Analysts say the F-35's ability to land and
01:18take off vertically without needing a full runway is one reason to consider buying the jet.
01:23And that is actually one of the potential solutions to Taiwan's security problems right
01:31from China, that airports and runway getting cratered. So that is one thing that I said
01:39that the F-35B is one thing that Taiwan's been looking for.
01:44The Financial Times quotes a former Trump administration official as saying that Taiwan's
01:49decision to go big on a U.S. arms sale is to demonstrate that it is fully committed
01:54to defending itself. But skeptics say that the fighter's high price tag is not worth
01:59it. The base cost of one variant of the F-35 is roughly $83 million, while some variants
02:06of Taiwan's F-16 have a base cost of $70 million. And that's just to acquire the aircraft.
02:12After that, Taiwan would still need to pay for the infrastructure and support needed
02:16to maintain the jets. And some analysts say they do little for the country's defense.
02:20And this isn't the first time that there has been, you know, quiet feeling out of each
02:26other on potential F-35 sales. But I think that it's a very short-sighted move. Ultimately,
02:33American political leaders are going to look at how much Taiwan is resisting PRC aggression,
02:39how long Taiwan can hold out. And F-35s don't address either of those questions.
02:48Many observers say that while Taiwan does need more modern equipment, it could use its
02:53limited defense budget on more effective systems like mines, missiles and communications. But
02:58whether or not those kinds of investments show Taipei's commitment to defense will be
03:03up to interpretation from the incoming U.S. administration.
03:07John Su and Jaime O'Connor for Taiwan Plus.