U.S. approves US$387 million arms sales to Taiwan

Washington, Nov. 29 (CNA) The U.S. government on Friday announced arms sales involving spare parts and support for F-16 fighter aircraft and follow-up support for Improved Mobile Subscriber Equipment (IMSE), at a total cost of US$387 million.

It was the 18th arms sale approved by the administration of President Joe Biden to Taiwan and the sixth since Taiwan's Jan. 13 presidential and legislative elections.

The Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said it delivered the required certification notifying Congress of the latest arms sale on Friday.

The proposed arm sale is consistent with U.S. law and policy as expressed in Public Law 96-8, the DSCA added.

In a statement released on Friday, the DSCA said the State Department has approved foreign military sales of spare parts and support for F-16 fighter jet and active electronically scanned array radars and related equipment at an estimated cost of US$320 million to Taiwan. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2025.

The DSCA said the proposed sale will improve Taiwan's ability to meet current and future threats by maintaining the operational readiness of the recipient's fleet of F-16 aircraft.

In a separate statement the DSCA said the State Department has also approved the sale of follow-up support for IMSE for about US$65 million.

According to the DSCA, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO) requested the procurement of extended services provided under a previously implemented case, including follow-up support for the IMSE and Experimental Force (EXFOR) system. The proposed sale aims to extend those same services for an additional two years, the DSCA said.

The two arms sale deals serve "U.S. national, economic, and security interests by supporting the recipient's continuing efforts to modernize its armed forces and to maintain a credible defensive capability," the DSCA said.

The proposed arms sale deals will also "help improve the security of the recipient and assist in maintaining political stability, military balance, and economic progress in the region," the DSCA added.

The sale of spare parts and support services for F-16 aircraft will be transferred from U.S. Government stock, the DSCA said.

According to the DSCA, implementation of the sale will not require the assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor representatives to Taiwan.

In terms of the sale of follow-up support for IMSE, the DSCA said the principal contractor will be General Dynamics Mission Systems, located in Fairfax, Virginia.

The DSCA added implementation of the sale will not require the assignment of U.S. Government representatives, but will require three contractor Technical Assistance Representatives being sent to Taiwan to support equipment fielding and training.

In Taipei, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) expressed gratitude to the United States for the latest arms sale, which it said will continue to provide Taiwan with assistance building sufficient self-defense capability and establish a foundation to maintain regional stability.

The sale of spare parts and support for F-16 fighter jets and active electronically scanned array radar logistics is expected to help maintain the combat readiness of the Air Force's F-16 fleet and strengthen the country's air defenses, the MND said.

The proposed sale of IMSE follow-up support will provide Taiwan with necessary assistance to maintain the effectiveness of its tactical regional communications system, reinforce field information communication capabilities, and establish a reliable defense capability, the ministry added.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said it has received a formal notice from the U.S. government for the two proposed arms sale deals, which highlight the efforts of the Biden administration to ensure Taiwan has sufficient self-defense capability to take on threats from China.

The MOFA also thanked the U.S. government for approving the two arms sale deals to Taiwan based on the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) and Six Assurances.

The TRA was enacted in 1979 to maintain commercial, cultural, and other unofficial relations between the U.S. and Taiwan after Washington switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing. The TRA also requires the U.S. "to provide Taiwan with arms of a defensive character."

The Six Assurances, which were given by former U.S. President Ronald Reagan to Taiwan in 1982, include pledges not to set a date for ending arms sales to Taiwan and not to hold prior consultations with China.