Taiwan's Air force plans to buy jets that need shorter runway

Posted on: Jan. 23rd, 2006 || Source: taipeitimes.com | E-mail Article | Print Article

The air force is preparing to build a new fighter that has vertical/short taking off and landing (VSTOL) capabilities.

"Because of the strong likelihood that landing strips at air bases will come under intensive missile attack and be destroyed during a war with China, the air force considers fighters with VSTOL capabilities to be most suitable for Taiwan's defense," air force Commander Liu Kui-li told the Chinese-language China Times daily yesterday.

"The air force is open to any kind of VSTOL fighters, and is not necessarily aiming for the US' Joint Strike Fighters [JSF] that are in development," he said.

Liu said the air force hopes to create the new fighter force by 2020. He said the upgrading of the fleet was necessary to counter Chinese military spending.

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