Taiwanmilitary.org

[Inca]

From Libertytimes

For additional 2 IDFs, serves as prototype of the IDF Upgrade. Weapons suite includes the TC2 antiradiation missile, FAE, runway demolition standoff missile, antiship missile. Also, for additional parts supplies.


IDF年底重開生產線

〔記者許紹軒╱台北報導〕關閉已久的IDF生產線將要在年底重開，預計生產目標：二架「翔昇」機！

據指出，生產IDF的漢翔公司已確定恢復生產線並已開始採購所需零件，預定年底就開始裝配。

據指出，「翔昇計畫」編列七年七十億元的經費，從九十年執行到九十六年，空軍希望中科院與漢翔將現有二架戰機改裝成「翔昇」機，以驗證性能提升的成果，但此要求讓生產線已關閉的漢翔傷透腦筋，原本希望空軍能夠提供現役二架IDF支援，但在多次溝通未果下，中科院與漢翔只好重開生產線。

但據了解，這次重開生產線也發現一些零附件供應的問題，且IDF戰機不過成軍十年，已經出現零附件商源消失的狀況，也就是已經買不到部分新零件，必須從副廠籌購或是從庫存的備料調用，中科院與漢翔正在積極改善這個情形。

軍方指出，「翔昇計畫」將整合IDF、天劍二Ａ型反輻射飛彈、「萬劍」機場遙攻武器，「青雲」油氣彈等中科院研發的新式空對地、空對海武器，使整體戰力獲得大幅提升。

[Inca]

Plan for additional 100 F-16s, to supplement the pending retirement of Freedom fighter and storage of the Mirages. Apparently, its cheaper to buy 100 new fighters than to keep Mirages in flight status.The maintainance of one single Mirage is equivalent of 3 to 4 F-16s. The Mirage fleet eats up half of AF's maintainance budget. The stored Mirage can be brough back to service within few hours. The IDF will takes up the training role curretly held by the F5, which will retire in 2010.

幻象封存 我擬增購百架F-16

〔記者許紹軒╱台北報導〕據指出，為因應民國九十九年F-5戰機全面除役與幻象戰機（左圖，資料照片╱記者游太郎攝）維持費用居高不下，空軍正研議封存部分幻象機並增加採購F-16戰機的可能性，若全案確定，增購規模可能達到百架，以彌補民國一百年到第三代戰機服役之前的戰力空隙。

軍方說，就算戰機封存，戰時有需要可以在一到二小時內完成啟啟封，即可加油掛彈升空。

空軍總部表示，在未獲得下一代戰機前，除針對現役戰機性能提升外，還將依照下一代戰機獲得期程，「逐次調整機隊結構」，以滿足空軍任務需求及戰力不墜﹔官員說，此案仍在規劃中。

據了解，軍方內部對幻象機吃預算的程度有一個比喻：「養一架幻象可以養三到四架F-16」﹔更有甚者指出，空軍每年作業維持費有一半都「餵給幻象機」，但並未獲得空總證實。

由於幻象機維持費不貲，軍方評估，第三代戰機獲得時機至少要到二○二○年以後，以此時間點計算，封存部分幻象機節省的維修經費，比買新F-16還要多，後勤費用也可分攤在已建立的維修能量中，加上F-16為多用途戰機，也能發射視距外中程空對空飛彈。

空軍增購原因還有一個，F-5戰機目前多在台東七三七聯隊擔任部訓機，但飛機在民國九十九年要全面除役，官校畢業飛官到下部隊前銜接訓練不可中斷，軍方考慮將一個聯隊IDF戰機遷台東擔任部訓機。

據指出，IDF東遷與封存部分幻象機，將會讓西部防空出現空隙，空軍在單一機種保養省錢的考量下，從去年積極研究增加採購百餘架F-16的可行性評估，以確保第三代戰機獲得前的台海空優。

[My gripe]
Mirage can be reactivated in short amount of time, but it takes hours to keep pilots current. I wonder how all these is all going to work out. Also, why F-16, why not produce a few more IDF, for operational reserve, since they are reopening the production. Unmentioned in the article is which version of F-16, new or used? the one with all the latest bell and whistle, or slightly improved block 20. [/gripe]

[Loquacist]

If we really get 100 more F-16s, and the IDF production line opens again, this might just be the happiest day of my life.

[Matthew]

I hope like hell they re-engine any new builds....

Since the frame is a relatively low cost component of assembly in comparison to avionics, it would be interesting to do a design study to replace the rear center barrel to accommodate the F-16's Pratt & Whitney F100's which would both dramatically increase their power and simplify Air Force-wide logistics....



M.

[pandorax]

f-20 redesigned would be great

[MikeH]

Gentlemen, let's not get to carried away. First of all, "re-opening the production line" like the report said costs a lot of money. There is no way AIDC would fire up the whole furnace just to build 2 IDFs. Most likely we're talking about hand-building them with a small team of workers just like the prototypes. Also, it's not likely that ROCAF is placing orders for new IDFs.

[Alex Chiu]

[Alex Chiu]

IDF upgrade plan from www.gov.tw:

http://www.gov.tw/EBOOKS/TWANNUAL/show_book.php?path=2_004_071
國軍提升IDF戰機性能

由於IDF經國號戰機已服役10年，空軍著手為戰機進行性能提昇，代號為「翔昇計劃」，改良機上的航電與射控系統，增加天劍二型中程飛彈攜帶量，重要的是整合中科院所研發的天劍二A反輻射飛彈、「萬劍」機場遙攻武器與「青雲」油氣彈，將使IDF成為綜合戰力最強的二代戰機。

國人自製的IDF戰機自民國81年服役至今，飛行時數已達10萬6,000小時，依先進國家戰機的研發歷程，服役滿10年就需進行性能提昇，除更換部分使用年限過長的零組件外，重要的是要增強原先沒有的功能，延長戰機使用壽限，以美國F-16為例，雖然屬1970年代的戰機，但中間不斷藉由性能提升，時至今日仍屬戰力頂尖的機型。

軍方表示，翔昇計劃經費約為新台幣10多億元，主要目標是讓IDF戰機成為「聯合反制載台」，型號定為F-CK-1C/D(IDF的正式名稱為F-CK-1A/B，A跟B指的是單雙座) ，分擔空軍對地攻擊的任務，軍方從民國90年開始編列預算，計劃在5年內完成。

依照進度，90到91年第一期合約由中科院與漢翔公司研究飛機構型，最為人所知的是讓天劍二型中程空對空飛彈能以翼端進行滑軌發射，使IDF的劍二掛彈數從2枚增加到最多8枚，大幅增加制空作戰能力。

至於92年到95年第二期合約，則進行最重要的航電與射控系統精進，將電腦16位元升級至32位元，運算速度加快一倍，增加接戰目標與縮短運算時間；另外，還包括縮短起降距離、修改飛行操控軟體設計、雷達ECCM性能提升、加強核心航電系統、整合型的INSGPS導航系統設計、電子反反制以及地貌追蹤的能力，但原先外傳的空中加油及匿蹤能力，因機體外貌未進行結構性修改而作罷。　

軍方指出，翔昇計畫將整合IDF與天劍二A型反輻射飛彈、「萬劍」機場遙攻武器，以及「青雲」油氣彈等中科院研發的新式空對面武器，其中萬劍彈為類似美軍現役的AGM-154A聯合遙攻武器 (JSOW)，青雲彈則是中科院研發的油氣彈，可進行大面積的毀滅性打擊；空軍期望IDF經改良後能獨立擁有完整對地打擊能力，以達境外作戰目的，對中共東南沿海的陣地構成嚇阻效果。

[pandorax]

THIS PLANE IS NOT RESTRICTED TO POLITITICAL ISSUES!!! except the US will not sell the prototype because there is only one left, but it is such a good plane. SOMEONE GIVE ME A REVIEW ON THIS PLANE!!!


F-20 Tigershark

An F-20 Tigershark flying near Edwards Air Force Base, California. Photo courtesy of Northrop.
...a responsive, low-cost fighter that was designed by Northrop but was never sold or mass-produced. The Science Center's F-20 is the last remaining prototype.


Specs
Wingspan: 8.5 meters (28 feet)
Height: 4.2 meters (13 feet 10 inches)
Length: 14.4 meters (47 feet 4 inches)
Maximum speed: Mach 2
Sea level climbing speed: 16,154 meters/minute (53,000 feet/minute)
Takeoff distance: 450 meters (1,475 feet)
Takeoff distance, maximum weight: 1,128 meters (3,700 feet)
Takeoff weight: 8,410 kilograms (18,540 pounds)
Maximum weight: 12,700 kilograms (28,000 pounds)
Combat thrust-to-weight ratio: 1.12
Ferry range: 1,880 nautical miles
An advertisement for the F-20, courtesy of Northrop. Click on the image above for a larger image in PDF format.

History
In 1975, Northrop began development on the F-20 Tigershark, a fighter plane designed to be reliable, easy to fly and inexpensive to maintain. Northrop didn't accept any funds from the government to develop the plane, so the company didn't have to consult the Air Force or any other government agency to make design decisions. As a result, the development process went fairly quickly. Northrop built three planes to take around the world to fly in demonstrations for potential customers.

According to many pilots, the Tigershark was an excellent plane. It could be ready for combat just one minute after takeoff, and it could climb 53,800 feet per minute. Northrop planned to sell the plane to foreign countries for use in their militaries. However, as a result of many political changes as well as competition from other aircraft such as the F-16, the market for the plane never developed.
The Science Center's F-20
The F-20 in the gallery

The F-20 Tigershark prototype on display at the Science Center is the last one in existence. The other two F-20 prototypes crashed during world sales tours, but aircraft malfunction was not determined to be the cause of either crash. The Science Center's Tigershark was donated to the Science Center by the Northrop Corporation.

[Top Gunner]