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A ‘waste of money’? Taiwan to keep ageing Mirage jets in the air
- Island’s air force says it signed a US$4.8 million deal to extend the life of some of its Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets
- But some say the jets should be retired due to high maintenance costs and the difficulty in finding spare parts
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Lawrence Chungin Taipei
Taiwan has decided to keep its ageing Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets by extending their service life – for now – in the face of growing pressure from the People’s Liberation Army.
But the move has prompted a debate over whether it would be a waste of money when it comes to countering the challenge from the swiftly modernised PLA Air Force.
Earlier this month, the island’s air force confirmed that it had signed a NT$150 million (US$4.8 million) contract with French manufacturer Dassault Aviation to assess the possibility of extending the life of some of its Mirage jets.
Initially, the assessment would focus on nine twin-seaters, with the evaluation expected to be completed by July 2026, according to the contract.
“The twin-seaters would be good for operations for 20 more years after the extension,” Lieutenant General Tsao Chin-ping, chief of staff of the island’s air force, said on August 1.
Tsao said the air force hoped to first extend the service life of the twin-seaters so that they could be used both for regular missions and training sessions for new recruits.
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