Taiwan The defense ministry of the island has stated that all essential elements have been established to ensure the timely delivery of their domestically manufactured advanced trainer jets.
The production of 66 T-5 Brave Eagle training aircraft A crucial aspect of Taiwan's defense program focuses on enhancing pilot training for advanced fighter jets like the F-16V, in reaction to escalating military pressures from Beijing.
Nevertheless, the past year has seen delays in production due to shortages of imported system components, which have hindered the government-supported Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) from fulfilling its delivery targets for 2024, as stated by the defense ministry on Thursday.
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As stated in a report submitted to the legislature, AIDC was initially scheduled to provide 47 jets to the airforce by the end of last month; however, they managed to deliver only 43 planes, putting them four short of their target.
"The delays in delivering imported system parts have resulted in complications, and the air force is currently working closely with suppliers to ensure timely arrivals," according to the ministry statement.
Seven critical components were found to be lacking: the engine, environmental control system, canopy explosive release mechanism, landing gear, hydraulic reservoirs, wheel well actuators, and emergency ram air shutoff valves.
To tackle these shortages, the military-supported National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology – which leads Taiwan’s arms development efforts – worked alongside AIDC to create three critical parts domestically: the hydraulic reservoir, landing gear bay door actuator, and an emergency ram-air shutoff valve, as stated by the ministry.
"The certification of these parts has been approved by their original overseas manufacturers, enabling them to substitute for certain imported elements and reduce delivery delays," the statement read.
The ministry likewise verified that AIDC had obtained all required system parts from international suppliers. The installation and testing processes have commenced with the objective of finalizing the late shipments by the month’s end.
The AIDC project has been allocated a budget of NT$68.6 billion (approximately US$2 billion) with plans to produce 66 T-5 Brave Eagle trainer aircrafts, all slated for complete delivery to the air force by 2026.
The aircraft conducted its first flight in 2020, proceeded by restricted manufacturing in 2021, and then moved into large-scale production starting in 2023. The Brave Eagle, which is a two-seat training jet, is one example. it crashed last month while undergoing a training exercise In Eastern Taiwan, this marks the first occurrence of such an event since the aircraft began service with the air force in 2021.
The fifth-generation trainers, inspired by Taiwan’s Indigenous Defence Fighter (IDF) that was developed over thirty years ago at AIDC, aim to replace the aging AT-3 trainer and U.S.-made F-5 training aircraft. These older models have experienced numerous crashes in recent times.
The Courageous Hawk boasts comparable avionics to those found in the F-16, making it easier for pilots to adapt to advanced fighter aircraft. This jet is equipped for both aerial and ground combat exercises and has the capability to operate from shorter airstrips.
Although it has the potential to be equipped with weapons, this feature is still under testing. Additionally, the plane is expected to play a supportive part during conflicts.
Taiwan’s military primarily depends on U.S. weaponry, yet the island’s administration has emphasized developing a sophisticated domestic defense sector—especially since Beijing, which considers Taiwan part of its territory to be brought under control by any means necessary, including force, speeds up its own military advancements and conducts more exercises close to the island.
Most countries, including the US, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state, but Washington is opposed to any attempt to take the self-governed island by force and is committed to supplying it with weapons.
Onlookers see the localized manufacturing of parts for training jets as a significant move toward Taiwan's aim of fostering self-reliant defense capacities and bolstering its aviation sector.
"Defence self-sufficiency is not a matter of cost but of value. It provides aerospace engineers with comprehensive hands-on design experience," said Su Tzu-yun, a senior analyst at the government-affiliated Institute for National Defence and Security Research (INDSR).
He stated that the Brave Eagle program was expected to create an economic impact ranging from 2.1 to 2.5 times the original investment, implying that the NT$68.6 billion in development funds could result in returns exceeding NT$170 billion.
Su's INDSR counterpart, Shu Hsiao-huang, emphasized the functional role of the Brave Eagle.
He mentioned that previously, Taiwan’s fighter pilot training adhered to a three-phase, three-plane system: trainees initially used the T-34C basic trainer, subsequently moved on to the AT-3, and finally underwent operational conversion training with the F-5E/F.
He stated that with the advent of the Brave Eagle, the air force is shifting toward a three-phase, dual-platform approach, merging the functions of the AT-3 and F-5E/F into one aircraft.
Shu pointed out several drawbacks as well. He mentioned, "This aircraft cannot achieve supersonic speeds, potentially making it difficult for pilots to adapt when they move on to squadrons with advanced supersonic jets such as the F-16, Mirage-2000, and IDF."
Several experts have cast doubt on the Brave Eagle's capability to serve as an effective combat aircraft during war times, even though both AIDC and the Taiwanese air force assert otherwise.
"Although they have emphasised that the Brave Eagle can be converted into a warplane in wartime, its lack of an advanced radar system and supersonic capability raises doubts about its effectiveness in actual combat," said Lu De-yun, a former press secretary for Taiwan's defence ministry.
Lu also highlighted the issue of Taiwan's insufficient supply of pilots as a significant hurdle. He stated, "Despite delivering all the training aircraft, we might still lack sufficient candidates for proper utilization—let alone sustaining an appropriate count of battle-prepared pilots during times of peace and war alike."
Due to Taiwan's decreasing birthrate and the challenges in attracting individuals to pursue careers in military aviation, the country's armed forces have found it difficult to produce an adequate number of pilots.
The Air Force Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Wang Te-yang, informed legislators on Thursday that the pilot-to-aircraft ratio for Taiwan’s air force stood at only 1:1.33. He admitted this figure fell short of the desired standards. Essentially, every authorized aircraft averages about 1.33 pilots, whereas the recommended norm is having two qualified pilots assigned to each plane.
However, Wang stressed that the military would make every effort to address the training and personnel challenges within the air force.
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