Above: The second batch of six UH-60Ms for the ROCAF Air Rescue Group arrived at Kaohsiung Port on July 19 and
comprise serials 933 to 938. After assembly and test fl ights, the six ‘Mikes’ fl ew to Chiayi AFB where this example was
on static display during a recent open day. Formosa Military Image Press42 // OCTOBER 2018 #367 http://www.airforcesmonthly.comForce
Report
The UH-60M’s powerful
propulsion system – including
the latest General Electric T700-
701D turboshafts and wide-chord
composite main rotor blades –
makes it well suited for rescue
missions at high altitudes.
The first two UH-60Ms withdrew
from the ROCA inventory and
transferred to the Air Rescue
Group at Chiayi last December.
The next six arrived at Kaohsiung
Port on July 19 before flying
to their new base at Chiayi the
following day after reassembly,
inspections and (flight) testing.
The final seven ROCAF
UH-60Ms are scheduled for
delivery this December.Air Force Academy
Established on July 1, 1938, the
ROC Air Force Academy has
provided military pilot training
from Gangshan since 1949. Its
current training fleet comprises
35 T-34C Turbo Mentors and 47
Aerospace Industrial Development
Corporation (AIDC) AT-3 ‘Tzu
Chiang’ (self-reliance) jet trainers.Students either complete a
four-year university syllabus
or a one-year military course
before starting flight training.
The first ten to 12 flying hours on
the T-34C are part of an evaluation
process before cadets undertake six
months of basic flight training, during
which 80 hours will be flown on the
T-34C to learn basic flight techniques
and procedures. Depending on
grades and preferences, students
will be assigned to either the
Combat or Air Transportation
Training Section to start advanced
training, which also lasts six months.
During the second phase, future
combat pilots log 120 hours on
the AT-3, while future fixed-wing or
helicopter pilots fly either 81 hours
on the Beech 1900 or an additional
91 hours on the T-34C respectively.
As the Academy doesn’t own
any Beech 1900s, these are
borrowed from the Songshan-
based Special Transport Squadron.
After graduation, fixed-wing pilots
will be assigned to a particular
squadron where they receive type-
related training; those destinedto fly helicopters will move to the
Air Rescue Group at Chiayi.
Fighter pilots relocate to Zhihang
to start a ten-month lead-in fighter
training course before transition
onto the F-16, F-CK-1 or Mirage- In 80 flight hours on the
F-5E/F, they will be schooled in
basic fighter manoeuvres, night
navigation, tactical formation flying,
interception, air defence, air-to-
air gunnery using aerial darts as
targets, basic weapon delivery
and surface attack tactics.
In 2010 the ROCAF drafted a
requirement to supersede the T-34C
with a two-seat primary trainer
fitted with ejection seats, a likely
candidate being the Beechcraft T-6.
However, at this time the Mentor
fleet was only midway through its
operational lifespan, so replacement
is not considered urgent.
The first of 61 AT-3s ordered
were assigned to the Academy
in 1984, with final deliveries in - Two years earlier, the
Thunder Tiger demonstration
team had moved to Gangshan and
completed conversion onto the
Advanced
Jet Trainer
competition
The ROCAF’s search for an Advanced
Jet Trainer (AJT) ended in February
last year, with the XT-5 announced
as the future training platform. A
contract worth $2.2bn, awarded to
the military-run National Chung-Shan
Institute of Science and Technology
(NCSIST), was signed on February 7.
As a subcontractor, AIDC will develop
and construct the airframe which
will be based on the dual-seat F-CK-
1 fighter, and the first flight of the
XT-5 AJT ‘Blue Magpie’ is set for- Sixty-six XT-5s will be built
for the ROCAF, with deliveries of final
production aircraft scheduled for 2026.
The aim is to develop the new trainer
with a minimum of technical support
from abroad. Compared to the F-CK-1,
the XT-5 AJT will feature an improved
fuel system and revised avionics. Lighter
materials should increase the thrust-to-
weight ratio as no changes are planned
to the F124 engines, as installed on the
F-CK-1, while a thicker aerofoil will offer
a better lift/drag relationship, resulting
in lower approach and landing speeds.
Taiwan’s current government –
formed after Democratic Progressive
Party candidate Tsai Ing-wen won the
presidential elections in January 2016 –
places a heavy emphasis on development
of local aerospace and defence
industry. The ultimate selection of the
XT-5 was, however, still controversial:
the ROCAF’s required in-service date
of no later than 2019 cannot be met
and development of a new aircraft will
inevitably lead to much higher costs.
The ROCAF evaluated both the
Korea Aerospace Industries T-50 and
Leonardo M-346 as part of the AJT
competition, which led to the signing
of a memorandum of understanding
(MoU) between AIDC and (the then)
Finmeccanica in 2014 for 66 M-346s.
At least 60 were to be produced
under licence by AIDC in Taiwan, with
half of all components made in Italy.
Finmeccanica agreed to the transfer
of relevant technology, provision of
technical assistance and support of a
locally designed avionics suite if desired.
But the political winds of change
in Taiwan in 2016 strongly favoured
development of an indigenous AJT, and
M-346 procurement fell by the wayside
- despite a price reduction of about
25% off the original $2.1bn price tag.
The pro-independence government
justifies heavy investment in its own
defence industry as reducing reliance on
foreign purchases; and to gain expertise
in building a future combat aircraft.
Republic of China Air Force
Right: Fokker 50 serial 5002 (c/n 20238, ex PH-JXH) is one of two examples primarily used for VIP transport work and is
seen at Tainan. Three new-build F50s were originally delivered, arriving in March 1992. Wiebe Karsten Below: Backbone of
the ROCAF’s Special Transport Squadron at Songshan is a fl eet of 11 Beech 1900C-1s. Serial 1908 (c/n UC-8, ex N3179U)
was photographed at Hualien. The type is also used for multi-engine training by the Air Force Academy. Wiebe Karsten40-45 Taiwan AFM Oct2018.indd 42 9/10/2018 9:33:53 AM