Taiwan's RF-5 recon jets to stay in use through 2025

Taipei, Sept. 16 (CNA) Taiwan's Air Force continues to allocate around NT$10 million (US$314,391) for 2025 to keep its RF-5 recon aircraft fleet operational until it receives new intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities, a military source told CNA Monday.

According to the Air Force's budget proposal for the fiscal year 2025, NT$10 million will be spent on logistics and technical support services to keep the RF-5s up and running. The proposal is still pending approval by lawmakers.

The RF-5s were converted from some of the Air Force's F-5E jets that have been in service for nearly 50 years.

Based in eastern Hualien Air Base, the plane's main mission is to conduct recon missions with F-16Vs and surveil Chinese forces.

During natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods, the RF-5s also conduct recon missions to help gather information on the scale of the destruction.

Taiwan's Air Force had around 50 F-5s that have mostly served as trainer jets.

All of them were retired from service in late 2023 and replaced by Taiwan's indigenous advanced jet trainers (AJT), also known as the Brave Eagle.

But the RF-5 reconnaissance version is to remain operational until the military receives new ISR capabilities with the future inclusion of MS-110 pods, MQ-9B drones and domestic drones in coming years, an unnamed source told CNA.

Washington approved the sale of six MS-110s in October 2020 but Taiwan's military has yet to receive them. The delivery is expected to be completed in 2025.

Taiwan's military is also scheduled to receive the first two MQ-9B "SkyGuardian" drones it purchased from the U.S. in 2026, and the other two in 2027.