Taiwan favours acquisition of new C-130J aircraft
Taiwan operates a fleet of Lockheed Martin C-130H aircraft, which it inducted from 1986. (Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images)
Taiwan has shelved a plan to upgrade its legacy Lockheed Martin C-130H fleet in favour of acquiring new C-130J Super Hercules aircraft, according to Taiwanese state-owned media.
The Republic of China Air Force (RoCAF) originally intended to upgrade 18 C-130H aircraft in service under a programme called Taiwushan No 3 (Taiwu Mountain III). However, on 8 February, the āmilitary announced that it will procure 10 C-130J aircraft from the United Statesā owing to concerns that an upgrade of the legacy fleet will not be cost-effective, the state-owned Central News Agency (CNA) said.
According to the agency, the RoCAF's decision was based on threat assessments and an appraisal of requirements.
The Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense (MND) began inviting tenders to upgrade the C-130H fleet in December 2024. Taiwushan No 3 was intended to start in 2025 and conclude in 2030. The programme aimed to enhance the C-130H fleet's maritime search-and-rescue capabilities. The upgrades included a glass cockpit, a new GPS, and a ground collision avoidance system (GCAS), according to CNA.
An RoCAF's appraisal, however, determined that the C-130H fleet also requires structural reinforcement in addition to software and avionics upgrades, which increased costs. The RoCAF now seeks to involve domestic industries in a ābasic upgradeā of the C-130H aircraft, the state-owned media said.
The Taiwanese MND did not issue an official statement on the matter at the time of publication. Janes has contacted the MND for additional information.
If the C-130J aircraft are procured the RoCAF will deploy them āalongside the older C-130H model in a high-low mix configurationā, according to CNA.
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