The procurement of F-16 C/D fighter jets from the United States is still an option to beef up Taiwan’s defense capabilities, the Ministry of National Defense said Monday, dismissing a report that the military has decided not to purchase the aircraft.
Source: Central News Agency
The US-Taiwan Business Council has announced that it will host the 13th annual US-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference in Williamsburg, Virginia from October 5-7, 2014. This conference focuses on U.S.-Taiwan defense and military cooperation, as well as on Taiwan’s future defense and national security needs.
The 2014 conference will consider Taiwan’s role in the U.S. strategic rebalance towards Asia, examine Taiwan’s defense and military plans for the next 5-10 years, and discuss the arms sales process. It will also examine ways to expand on current models for security cooperation, as well as assess Taiwan’s indigenous submarine programs. Conference sessions will feature panels comprised of leading voices on defense issues from both the United States and Taiwan, and will offer an opportunity for high-level debate and discussion. The Chairman of the US-Taiwan Business Council, Dr. Paul Wolfowitz, will be the conference host.
Rupert Hammond-Chambers, President of the Council, commented that “the annual US-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference is the most important private event reviewing U.S.-Taiwan defense and national security issues each year. A high-caliber group of leading U.S. and Taiwan experts – including representatives from Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense and the U.S. government, members of think tanks and academia, as well as representatives from the defense industry – will address many important topics and will engage our attendees in an informative dialogue on shared issues and concerns.”
Registration for the US-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference 2014 is currently open. For more information about the conference or to register to attend, see www.TaiwanDefenseConference.com.
There was speculation among US-based China experts this week that the White House was growing increasingly frustrated with China and could change policies and move closer to Taiwan, even agreeing to sell it new weapon systems. However, sources close to the administration of US President Barack Obama told the Taipei Times that it was not considering a change in policy.
Source: Taipei Times
The US-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference 2014 will be held October 5-7, 2014 in Williamsburg, Virginia. This will be the thirteenth annual event in a series of ongoing conferences addressing the future of U.S. defense cooperation with Taiwan, the defense procurement process, and Taiwan’s defense and national security needs. This year, conference sessions will consider Taiwan’s potential role in the U.S. strategic rebalance towards Asia, examine Taiwan’s defense and military plans for the next 5-10 years, and discuss the current status and potential new approaches to the arms sales process. We will also examine ways to expand on current models for security cooperation, as well as assess Taiwan’s indigenous submarine programs.
The first conference in this series was the St. Petersburg, Florida event where former Taiwan Minister of National Defense Tang Yiau-ming gave the keynote address in March of 2002. The second conference in the series was held in February 2003 in San Antonio, Texas, the third in October 2004 in Phoenix, Arizona, the fourth in September 2005 in San Diego, California, the fifth in September 2006 in Denver, Colorado, and the sixth in September 2007 in Annapolis, Maryland. Taiwan’s Minister of National Defense Chen Chao-min gave the keynote address at the seventh conference in the series, held in September 2008 on Amelia Island, Florida. The eighth conference was held in September 2009 in Charlottesville, Virginia, the ninth in October 2010 in Cambridge, Maryland, and the tenth in September 2011 in Richmond, Virginia. The eleventh conference was held in September 2012 in Hershey, Pennsylvania, and the twelfth in September 2013 in Annapolis, Maryland.
Keynote Addresses & Conference Program
Keynote speakers will include senior representatives from Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense and from the U.S. government. US-Taiwan Business Council Chairman Dr. Paul Wolfowitz will be the conference host.
Sessions at the US-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference feature a moderator and several speakers on the panel, and some sessions may include additional commentators. Each speaker gives a short presentation on the session topic from his or her own viewpoint and expertise. Those presentations are then followed by a moderator-led discussion among the panelists, as well as a moderator-driven question and answer period with the attendees. This format offers the maximum amount of time for exchanges among the panelists, as well as between the panel and the audience, allowing the sessions to become a forum for substantial and valuable interaction and discussion.
Registration is now open at the 2014 US-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference website.
On April 7, 2014, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 3470, the Taiwan Relations Act Affirmation and Naval Vessel Transfer Act of 2014. The legislation reaffirms the U.S. commitment to the Taiwan Relations Act and authorizes the sale of four Oliver Hazard Perry class frigates to Taiwan.
Press Release: Chairman Royce Applauds House Passage of Vital Taiwan Legislation
Video of Chairman Royce’s floor statement
Recent reports have indicated that the alleged defunding by the U.S. Air Force of the combat avionics programmed extension suite (CAPES) will negatively impact Taiwan’s F-16 A/B upgrade program. The US-Taiwan Business Council believes these reports to be inaccurate. Should this defunding occur, it will have no impact on the schedule or cost for Taiwan’s extensive upgrade program, including on the development of the Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar.
The Council understands that the U.S. Air Force remains fully committed to the Taiwan F-16 upgrade program, and that their assurances are reflected in the signed Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA). That commitment ensures that the cost and schedule put in place by the LOA remains, and that the Taiwan military will not see any changes to their program even if the CAPES program is altered. This extends through the upgrade and into the sustainment of the upgraded equipment.
Council President Rupert Hammond-Chambers said, “I am pleased that the U.S. Air Force remains committed to the Taiwan upgrade program and to the assurances that were made in the LOA. This retrofit program is the first of two steps to upgrade Taiwan’s fighter fleet, with the second step – purchase of replacement F-16 C/Ds – still to be approved.”
Hammond-Chambers added, “The ongoing impact of tighter U.S. defense spending, and the decisions impacting fighter upgrades for legacy U.S. equipment, merely highlights the need for the U.S. to continue to build capacity among its Asia Pacific security allies, including Taiwan. Taiwan has a legitimate need for additional fighters to meet its sovereign security requirements, and F-16 C/Ds would best fit that need.”