Taiwan weighs options for ageing fleet of Mirage 2000 fighter jets
- Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng says they still perform well but ‘over time’ there will be an issue
- He tells lawmakers that the air force is assessing whether to replace or upgrade the warplanes
Built by Dassault Aviation, the aircraft entered service in 1997. To keep them in service they will need a system upgrade, but Dassault no longer produces this type of jet and is reportedly asking for an eye-watering sum to do the update.
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Taiwanese Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng was grilled by lawmakers on Thursday about whether the Mirage fleet would be retired or upgraded, as the PLA rapidly expands its fleet of more advanced and powerful fighter jets.
Chiu told the legislative meeting that the Mirage fleet still performed well but “over time” there would be an issue with the ageing fighter jets, which are based in Hsinchu, in the island’s north.
“Of course, there is an age concern for the jets and we will make certain plans about this,” he said.
Pressed on whether the Mirage fleet would be retired or sold, Chiu said: “The air force is making an assessment on whether to replace or upgrade them. All these would be options – the air force is still studying which one to choose.”