The US Air Force says that US defense budget cuts will not affect planned upgrades to Taiwan’s aging F-16 fighter jets.
The US announced a program in 2011 to help Taiwan upgrade its F-16 jets. But the US Air Force’s budget request for 2015 does not include funding for the program. Some US congressmen have voiced concerns that the program will be affected.
In a Wednesday report by the US-based Defense News, the US Air Force was quoted as saying that it already has measures in place to upgrade 145 of Taiwan’s jets.
The US Air Force said it issued some contracts for upgrades to Taiwan’s fighter jets. It also said that a large number of them can be done under budget. The Air Force said the savings from these contracts can be channeled into upgrading the radar systems of the jets.