Taiwan navy orders helicopter refit
"The navy has a plan to upgrade its 18 Sikorsky S-70C Firehawks, but is still working out the details of the programme," the agency cited the official as saying. The remarks confirmed a report in the , a Taipei-based newspaper.
Citing a separate unnamed military official, the newspaper report said Taiwan would spend about NT$800 million (HK$200 million) on upgrading the aircraft.
The military has commissioned the US manufacturer to carry out the work, which involves upgrading the engines on some of the helicopters and adding emergency lighting to the entire fleet, the report said.
The programme is expected to be completed by September, 2017.
Other Taiwanese media quoted a navy source as saying a possible deal with the US to buy eight MH-60R Seahawk multi-mission helicopters was still being considered. However the price - US$80 million - was reported to be too high.
