Taiwan's F-CK-1 fighter. (Photo : ROCAF)
The Republic of China (Taiwan) will develop a second indigenous fighter more along the lines of a fourth generation ++ (or Generation 4++) fighter with stealth characteristics and advanced avionics.
Taiwan's Minister of National Defense Feng Shih-kuan said research and development into the new fighter is a top priority for President Tsai Ing-wen, who has committed huge resources to modernizing and strengthening the Republic of China Armed Forces in the face of a threat by China to invade Taiwan before 2020.
The more advanced fighter will be powered by the TFE-1042-70 engine installed on the AIDC F-CK-1 Ching-kuo, Taiwan's first indigenous jet fighter also known as the Indigenous Defense Fighter (IDF), said the Republic of China Air Force (ROCAF).
The U.S. Air Force defines the chief characteristics of a Generation 4++ fighter as one with active electronically scanned arrays; continued reduced signatures or "active" (waveform canceling) stealth technology and supercruise, or the capability to reach supersonic speed without using afterburners.
Examples of Generation 4++ fighters are the McDonnell Douglas F-15SE Eagle air superiority fighter (currently under development) and the Sukhoi Su-35 supermaneuverable fighter.
The National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology will be in charge of the developing Taiwan's new fourth generation ++ fighter. The institute, which in charge of ROCAF's science and technology research, has been supervising the development of the new jet fighter since the start of the year.
ROCAF has not revealed the name of the new fighter or its specifications. What is clear, however, is this fighter won't be a fifth generation stealth fighter since Taiwan does not have the technological and industrial capability to develop and build a fifth generation stealth fighter such as the Northrop Grumman F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
Taiwan, however, has significant experience in building fourth generation fighters such as its own F-CK-1, of which 130 are operational
The F-CK-1 made its first flight in 1989; was delivered to ROCAF in January 1994 and entered service in 1997. All 130 production aircraft were manufactured by 1999.
Taiwan was forced to initiate its IDF program when the United States refused to sell F-20 Tigershark and F-16 Fighting Falcon jet fighters to Taiwan following diplomatic pressure from China.
As a result, Taiwan decided to develop an advanced indigenous jet fighter. F-CK-1 was designed and built by the Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) based in Taichung.
