•Publication Date：10/14/2011
•Source： Taiwan Today
•By Michael Gooch
On Oct. 10, the ROC armed forces marked the nation’s 100th anniversary with an eye-catching parade outside the Presidential Office in Taipei—the largest held Taiwanwide since 1991. This display of military might sends a clear message that the nation’s servicemen and women are at the ready to defend ROC sovereignty, and the central government is firmly committed to providing the materiel necessary for carrying out this mission.
The parade, which garnered headlines around the globe, involved 71 aircraft, 168 vehicles and 1,802 officers and enlisted personnel. They were also joined by marching bands from Jingmei and Taipei First Girls high schools, much to the delight of thousands of spectators gathered for the historic day.
But the real highlight of the event was a flyover of S-70C Blackhawk, OH-58D Kiowa, UH-1H Iroquois, AH-1H Supercobra and CH-47D Chinook helicopters, as well as fixed-wing aircraft including the C-130 Hercules, F-16 A/B; Indigenous Defense Fighter and Mirage 2000-5. The aerial demonstration of ROC air power concluded with a formation flight by seven AT-3 Ziqiangs from the Thunder Tiger Acrobatics Team, which streaked across the sky trailing red, white and blue smoke trails.
For the 23 million people of Taiwan, the sight of the armed forces strutting their stuff on the nation’s biggest day was a reassuring sight, instilling greater belief in the ability of the military to stave off fresh challenges from within the Asia-Pacific region and across the Taiwan Strait. Such confidence goes a long way toward building support for the government’s restructuring of the armed forces, and establishment of a fully professional fighting force capable of responding to external aggression and carrying out rescue and relief operations during times of natural disaster.
This new mandate has impacted the armed forces in a variety of ways. The army is implementing advanced training programs for bolstering special and joint operations; the navy is beefing up patrols in outlying ROC territories while developing procedures for improving interservice cooperation; and the air force is working on new systems aimed at strengthening early warning capabilities and further safeguarding Taiwan’s airspace.
But it takes more than training to transform the military. These new priorities demand cutting-edge equipment that is only available on the say-so of Washington—the world’s largest supplier of military hardware. Fortunately, securing such equipment is entirely possible for the ROC as it enjoys longstanding and special ties with the U.S.
Since ROC President Ma Ying-jeou took office in May 2008, Taiwan-U.S. relations have gone from strength to strength. This improvement is best illustrated by the sale of a decade-high US$18.3 billion in weapons during Ma’s term in office, confirming that government policies aimed at improving Taiwan’s relations with mainland China, diplomatic allies and key friends around the world are paying handsome dividends.
One example of this friendship with benefits is the U.S. decision Sept. 21 to offer Taiwan retrofits for its 145 F-16 A/B fighters. The US$5.85 billion package, which includes advanced radar, air-to-air missiles, laser- and GPS-guided bombs, navigation systems and training, will extend the operational life of Taiwan’s F-16 A/Bs, enabling them to keep matching rival aircraft operating throughout the region.
In the short term, the retrofit meets Taiwan’s air defense needs while buying time for a decision on the sale of 66 long-sought F-16 C/Ds. This also gives the government plenty of room to maneuver on the increasingly attractive option of trading up for the more advanced F-35 multirole fighter.
Although the sale is not exactly what Taipei was hoping for, it is definitely a step in the right direction, offering a value for money solution to the government’s fighter jet replacement dilemma. It also reaffirms the Obama administration’s commitment to the Taiwan Relations Act, which crucially involves supplying the weapons necessary for maintaining a robust defense of the island.
In the bigger scheme of things, the government’s approach toward foreign affairs is life and death for the armed forces. Antagonistic policies that deliver scorched earth outcomes are a surefire way of cutting the legs from under the military, enfeebling it at a time when strength is the currency of the day. If support from abroad for Taiwan dries up, then sales of advanced weaponry will go south, placing the army, navy and air force squarely behind the eight-ball when it comes to protecting the ROC and its citizens.
This is why the Ma administration’s pragmatic policies are the only way forward when it comes to safeguarding ROC sovereignty and paving the way for the armed forces to continue playing an integral role in helping shape the country’s future. If the ROC’s second century is to be a golden one, and Taiwan is to embrace root and branch change while deepening its engagement with the rest of the world, then the military must fulfill its mission and act as the bedrock upon which this progress is founded. In any fight, no combatant can hope to prevail with one arm tied behind their back, a maxim that applies to the ROC armed forces as well.
