Defense minister says he has not received word from US on chopper procurement

Описание: Defense minister on Friday responded to a rumor that the U.S. had rejected a Taiwanese procurement request for anti-submarine helicopters. He said he had not received word on the issue from Washington, which would be the normal procedure. A defense researcher chimed in, saying that if the U.S. had indeed rejected the sale, it would likely be due to its assessment of Taiwan''s budget and defense needs.

The commander gives the order, and the troops run forward with their guns. They drop down into a foxhole, alone or in pairs, and survey their surroundings.

Taiwan’s overhauled reservist training program has entered its final stage, and recruits are busy training to improve their combat readiness. The defense ministry says it is working hard to strengthen the reserve force, while also procuring new arms from the U.S.

As part of its “Condor III” program the Navy had planned to purchase 12 MH-60R Seahawk anti-submarine helicopters from the U.S., and had already submitted its request to Washington. Reports have surfaced that the U.S. State Department has rejected the request on the grounds that the helicopter is unsuitable for asymmetric warfare. However, the defense minister says he has not received word on the issue from the U.S.

Chiu Kuo-cheng
Minister of Defense
Arms purchases from the U.S. go through certain procedures. Whether approved or not, I would be notified ahead of time – the U.S. would inform me. However, I have not yet received any notice on this procurement.

The MH-60R Seahawk can reach heights of 3,000 meters above sea level, can fly up to 267 kilometers per hour, and can fly continuously for 834 kilometers. It can be equipped with weapons such as light anti-submarine torpedoes, and can also suppress the firepower of surface ships, helping to substantially improve naval combat capabilities.

Su Tzu-yun
National Defense and Security Research
This reflects the U.S.’ mindset in regard to arms sales, and shatters criticism that the U.S. seeks to profit from arms procurements. It may not be looking at Taiwan’s special defense budget, and instead looking at its annual budget, and whether it can afford operational maintenance. It would assess whether this procurement would benefit regional security and national defense.

The researcher says that the U.S. takes demand and follow-up maintenance into consideration when approving arms sales. He says the government should increase the defense budget to improve the chances of procurement.