List of equipment of the Republic of China Air Force

Last updated

Below is a list of equipment used by the Republic of China Air Force (commonly known as the Taiwanese Air Force).

Contents

Aircraft

A ROCAF F-16A on a demonstration flight ROCAF F-16A 6623 Flight Demonstration in Ching Chuang Kang Air Force Base 20161126a.jpg
A ROCAF F-16A on a demonstration flight
AIDC F-CK-1 Ching-kuo armed with Sky Sword I and Wan Chien IDF-Wan Chien.jpg
AIDC F-CK-1 Ching-kuo armed with Sky Sword I and Wan Chien
An UH-60 Black Hawk conducting SAR training ROCAF UM-60M.jpg
An UH-60 Black Hawk conducting SAR training
Boeing 737-800 Presidential Jet at Songshan Airport B737 3701 (36329508074).jpg
Boeing 737-800 Presidential Jet at Songshan Airport
ROCAF Fokker 50 at Songshan Airport ROCAF Fokker 50 5002 on Final Approaching at Songshan Air Force Base 20160126a.jpg
ROCAF Fokker 50 at Songshan Airport
AircraftOriginTypeVariantIn serviceNotes
Combat aircraft
AIDC F-CK-1 Taiwan Multirole F-CK-1C 103 [1] upgraded to the 1C variant [2]
Conversion trainer F-CK-1D 26 [1] upgraded to the 1D variant [2]
Dassault Mirage 2000 France Multirole 2000-5EI 43 [1] 1 crashed in 2024 [3]
Conversion trainer 2000-5DI 9 [1]
F-16 Fighting Falcon United States Multirole F-16A Block 72 [4] 114141 aircraft (including F-16B Block 72) upgraded, 1 crashed [5] [6]
F-16C Block 70 [4] 56 on order, delivery expected to commence in 2025 [6]
Conversion trainer F-16B Block 72 26 [1] F-16B Block 20 upgraded to Block 72 (F-16V)
F-16D Block 70 1additional 9 on order, first delivered on 29 March 2025 [1]
AEW&C
Grumman E-2 Hawkeye United States AEW&C E-2K 6 [1]
Maritime patrol
Lockheed P-3 Orion United States ASW / Patrol P-3C 12 [1]
Transport
Fokker 50 Netherlands VIP transport F27 Mk.50 3 [7]
Boeing 737 United StatesVIP transport 737-8AR 1 [7] Air Force 3701
Beech 1900 United States Surveillance 1900C-1 2 [8] also provides multi engine training
Lockheed C-130 Hercules United States Transport C-130H 20 [1] one aircraft assigned ELINT duty
Helicopters
Airbus Helicopters H225 France SAR / Utility EC225LP 3 [1]
Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk United States SAR / Utility UH-60M 14 [1]
Sikorsky S-70 United StatesSAR / Utility S-70C-6/M 2 [9]
Trainer aircraft
AIDC T-5 Taiwan Jet trainer 2639 on order – AT-3 / F-5 replacement. [10] 1 lost in 2025 [11]
Beechcraft T-34 Mentor United States Basic trainer T-34C 34 [1]
UAV
NCSIST Teng Yun Taiwan UCAV 3 [12] [13]
SeaGuardian United StatesASW / UCAV MQ-9B 4 on order, deliveries to be completed by August 11, 2027 [14] [15]

Armament

AIM-120 20180328 AIM-120 Udvar-Hazy.jpg
AIM-120
Paveway GBU-24 xxl.jpg
Paveway
AGM-65 Maverick AGM-65 Maverick MG 1382.jpg
AGM-65 Maverick
TC-II Sky Sword 2 (original air-to-air version) TC-2 Sky Sword II.jpg
TC-II Sky Sword 2 (original air-to-air version)
A view of an AGM-84 Harpoon air-to-surface anti-ship missile fixed under the wing of an F-16. 01.06 Zong Tong Chun Jie Xu Mian [Kong Jun Di Si Lian Dui ] Ji Yu Zhong Yao Gan Bu Ji Guan Bing Dai Biao Hui Can (52609493192).jpg
A view of an AGM-84 Harpoon air-to-surface anti-ship missile fixed under the wing of an F-16.
NameOriginTypeNotes
Air-to-air missile
AIM-120C5/C7 AMRAAM United States beyond-visual-range missile 636 missiles obtained [16] [17]
AIM-120C8 AMRAAM United States beyond-visual-range missile 200 missiles obtained [18]
AIM-7 Sparrow United States medium-range, semi-active radar 1,200 AIM-7Ms obtained [17]
MBDA MICA France medium-range, active radar 960 missiles obtained [17]
AIM-9 Sidewinder United States short-range IR guided AIM- 9J/Ps(2,216) – 9L/Ms (1,092) – AIM-9X (296) [17] [19] [20]
Sky Sword I Taiwan short-range IR guided Serial production began in 1991. [21]
Sky Sword II Taiwan beyond-visual-range missile At least 200 TC-2, unknown number TC-2C. [22]
Magic II France short-range IR guided 480 missiles obtained [17]
Air-to-surface missile
AGM-65 Maverick United States Air-to-surface missile(500) AGM-65s – (40) 65Gs – (235) 65G2s [17]
Wan Chien Taiwan Air-to-surface cruise missile >150 missiles obtained [23]
TC-2A Taiwan Anti-radiation missile variant of TC-2 [24]
AGM-88 HARM United States Anti-radiation missile 150 AGM-88B were ordered and upgraded to the AGM-88F HCSM variant after refurbishment, 23 AGM-88 training missiles [25] [18] [26]
AGM-84H SLAM-ER United States Air-to-surface cruise missile135 AGM-84H ordered in late 2020 to be delivered over the next 8 years [27]
Anti-ship missile
AGM-84 Harpoon United States anti-ship missile(120) AGM-84Ls [28] [17]
Hsiung Feng II [29] Taiwan anti-ship missile
Bombs
AGM-154 JSOW United States Glide bomb 56 ordered, later reduced to 50 Block III (C-1) models, with deliveries to be completed by March 2028 [30] [31]
Paveway United States Precision guided bomb
Sensor pods
Sniper Targeting Pod United States Targeting Pod20 AAQ-33s obtained [17]
LANTIRN United States Targeting Pod(28) AN/AAQ-19, (28) AAQ-20 [17]
MS-110United StatesReconnaissance Pod6 MS-110 units were ordered in 2020, capable of infrared and colour imaging. [32] [33] The contract was completed in 2023. [34]
Infrared Search and Track SystemUnited StatesIRST PodOrdered in August 2023, will likely be Lockheed Martin's Legion Pod [35]

Ground based strike

NCSIST Chien Hsiang system displayed at the 2019 Taipei Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition 08.15 Zong Tong Chu Xi [Tai Bei Guo Ji Hang Tai Ji Guo Fang Gong Ye Zhan ] , [Tai Wan Wu Ren Fei Xing Zai Ju Zhan ] (48541397352).jpg
NCSIST Chien Hsiang system displayed at the 2019 Taipei Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition
NameOriginTypeNotes
Loitering munitions and cruise missiles
NCSIST Chien Hsiang Taiwan Loitering munition In service, 104 in initial order [36]
Hsiung Feng IIE Taiwan Cruise missile In service, ~300 (2012) [37]
Yun Feng Taiwan Cruise missileIn service
Ballistic missiles
Sky Spear Taiwan Short range ballistic missile In service

Air and missile defense

NameOriginTypeIn serviceNotes
Anti-aircraft and anti-missile systems
MIM-104 Patriot United States SAM system7received upgrade to PAC-3 [38] 264 additional PAC-3 interceptors delivered in 2011, 122 PAC-3 interceptors delivered in 2015. [17] PAC-3 MSE ordered in 2021. [39]
Sky Bow II Taiwan SAM system6These batteries are currently being phased out for Sky Bow IIIs
Sky Bow III Taiwan SAM system12+Twelve batteries were ordered in the initial mass-production batch. [40] Another twelve are on order to replace HAWK and Sky Bow II batteries, with deliveries beginning in 2022. [41]
Sky Bow IV Taiwan SAM system2+Mass production to begin in 2025
Skyguard Switzerland towed twin-barreled anti-aircraft autocannon 24twin gun, 35mm rounds
AIM-7 Sparrow/RIM-7 Sea Sparrow United States SAM system500+used on towed launcher as part of the Skyguard System [42]
Radars
AN/FPS-117 United States Long-Range Search Radar System114 units are mobile [43] [44]
PAVE PAWS [45] United States Early warning radar system1
AN/TPS-75 United StatesLong-Range Search RadarUpgraded from AN/TPS-43F [46]

Retired

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "World Air Forces 2023". Flight Global. 2023. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  2. 1 2 "AIDC Delivers the Last Advanced Function IDF C/D Models to ROCAF". 2018-10-18. Retrieved 2023-06-22.
  3. ↑ "A Taiwanese fighter jet crashes during a training exercise and the pilot is found safe". AP News. 2024-09-10. Retrieved 2024-09-11.
  4. 1 2 Strong, Matthew (17 November 2021). "Taiwan Air Force sees itself as one of world's 15 strongest". www.taiwannews.com.tw. Taiwan News. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  5. ↑ "Taiwan suspends F-16 training missions after jet crashes". Reuters. 2022-01-11. Retrieved 2024-02-12.
  6. 1 2 Tirpak, John (2024-02-06). "First Phase of Taiwan F-16V Program Is Complete". Air & Space Forces Magazine. Retrieved 2024-02-12.
  7. 1 2 "軍武》空軍福克50超省油 曾是馬英九最愛搭乘專機" (in Chinese). 2018-10-20. Retrieved 2023-06-22.
  8. ↑ Sands, Glenn (2015). "Force Report: Rep. of China Air Force". Key Publishing. p. 53.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  9. ↑ "Taiwan looking to purchase 5 new Black Hawks". 2021-09-27.
  10. ↑ Giovanzanti, Alessandra (2021-11-30). "Taiwan receives first-production T-5 advanced trainer". Janes Information Services . Retrieved 2023-07-19.
  11. ↑ "Advanced new Taiwan jet trainer crashes in setback for programme". Reuters. 15 February 2025. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  12. ↑ "Taiwan conducts long-range flight tests for Tengyun II UAVs". 2022-05-16.
  13. ↑ Lu, Tyson; Lim, Emerson (18 February 2021). "Taiwan's locally-developed military drone crashes; no one hurt". focustaiwan.tw. Focus Taiwan. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  14. ↑ "Taiwan signs procurement contract for MQ-9Bs". janes.com. September 13, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Contracts for March 12, 2024". U.S. Department of Defense. March 12, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  16. ↑ "Taiwan takes delivery of 200 AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles". Archived from the original on 2018-07-24. Retrieved 2018-07-24.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Trade Registers Archived 2010-04-14 at the Wayback Machine . Armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved on 2015-04-10
  18. 1 2 "Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States – F-16 Munitions" . Retrieved 2023-03-01.
  19. ↑ "Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States – Retrofit of F-16A/B Aircraft". Archived from the original on August 3, 2022. Retrieved September 21, 2011.
  20. ↑ "Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States – AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder Missiles". Archived from the original on 2022-10-01. Retrieved 2022-09-02.
  21. ↑ "TC-1 Air-to-Air Missile System". ncsist.org.tw. Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology. Archived from the original on 27 October 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  22. ↑ Lo Tien-pin, Jonathan Chin (25 December 2017). "Extended-range missiles ready for use". taipeitimes.com. Taipei Times. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  23. ↑ Chen, Kelvin. "Taiwan wraps up production of 3 missile systems". taiwannews.com.tw. Taiwan News. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  24. ↑ Chaunren, Chen. "Taiwan's Ching-kuo Upgrade Complete, SEAD Role Next". ainonline.com. The Convention News Company, inc. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
  25. ↑ DeAeth, Duncan (27 May 2019). "US arms company Raytheon takes new contract for Taiwan missile upgrades". taiwannews.com. Taiwan News. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  26. ↑ "Contracts for May 23, 2019". U.S. Department of Defense. May 23, 2019. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  27. ↑ "Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO) – AGM-84H Standoff Land Attack Missile-Expanded Response (SLAM-ER) Missiles". www.dsca.mil. Retrieved 2024-01-04.
  28. ↑ "Taiwan Makes FMS Request for Harpoon Missiles". Defense aerospace. 2007-08-09. Retrieved 2024-01-04.
  29. ↑ "Hsiung Feng II". csis.org. Center for Strategic and International Studies. Archived from the original on 2 April 2019. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  30. ↑ "Trade Registers". sipri.org. Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Archived from the original on 14 April 2010. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  31. ↑ "Contracts for February 2, 2024". U.S. Department of Defense. February 2, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  32. ↑ "Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO) – MS-110 RECCE POD System". Defense Security Cooperation Agency. October 21, 2020. Archived from the original on November 1, 2020. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  33. ↑ "MS-100 Multispectral Airborne Reconnaissance System" (PDF). Collins Aerospace. 2023. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  34. ↑ "Indefinite Delivery Contract FA862018D3014". govtribe.com. Retrieved 2024-01-04.
  35. ↑ "Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO) – F-16 Infrared Search and Track (IRST) systems". www.dsca.mil. Retrieved 2023-12-17.
  36. ↑ Helfrich, Emma; Rogoway, Tyler (16 November 2022). "Taiwan Shows Off Its Radar-Killing Kamikaze Drones". thedrive.com. The Drive. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  37. ↑ "TAIWAN". Nuclear Threat Initiative. Nuclear Threat. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  38. ↑ "First Upgraded PAC-3 Battery Is Based At Nang Kang". Liberty Times. 2012-04-04. Archived from the original on 2012-04-03. Retrieved 2012-04-04.
  39. ↑ Shu-wei, Wu; Lin, Ko. "Range-extended Patriot system acquisition on schedule: Air Force". focustaiwan.tw. Focus Taiwan. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  40. ↑ 呂, 昭隆 (December 3, 2014). "國軍將採購12套天弓三飛彈". 中國時報. Archived from the original on May 28, 2022. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  41. ↑ "Defense/Taiwan to build 12 new domestic TK III missile sites by 2026". Focus Taiwan CNA News. October 23, 2023. Archived from the original on November 2, 2023. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  42. ↑ "Hundreds of missiles placed 'on hold' as Taiwan awaits US". 25 July 2012. Archived from the original on 2018-10-06. Retrieved 2018-10-06.
  43. ↑ Zhezheng, Hong. "The Air Force admits that the Army's war management radars cannot detect early warning drone threats". udn.com. United Daily News. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  44. ↑ "Taiwan To Receive Early-Warning Radars From US: Jane's". www.spacedaily.com. Space Daily. AFP. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  45. ↑ Trevithick, Joseph (14 August 2019). "Taiwan Reveals Land-Based Variant of Naval Point Defense Missile System To Guard Key Sites". thedrive.com. The Drive. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  46. ↑ "65 FR 14246 pgs. 14246-14249 – 36(b)(1) Arms Sales to Taiwan Notification". Federal Register. March 16, 2000. Archived from the original on October 23, 2015. Retrieved 2023-12-17.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.