The State Department on Wednesday evening said it has approved $300 million in potential standard and non-standard spare and repair parts to Taiwan to maintain the operational readiness of self-ruled island’s F-16 fighters.
One sale, worth up to $220 million, is for standard spare and repair parts and related engineering and logistics support services. The other deal, valued up to $80 million, covers non-standards parts and related services.
For both sales, the parts will be transferred from U.S. Air Force stocks. The F-16 is made by Lockheed Martin [LMT].
The U.S.-Taiwan Business Council, which promotes trade and business relations between the U.S. and Taiwan, applauded the pending sales for aiding Taiwan’s ability to maintain their fleet of F-16 operations to keep pace with China’s nearby “grey zone harassment.” However, Rupert Hammond-Chambers, council president, said the Biden administration’s focus on “munitions and sustainment” instead of also including new assets for Taiwan is concerning.
“As the recent military exercises conducted by the PLA demonstrate, Taiwan needs platforms and systems that can deal with blockade and grey zone threats,” he said in a statement on Thursday. “The administration’s current approach appears to singularly consider so-called asymmetric systems, even though weapons aren’t asymmetric, how they are employed makes them so.”
Rupert-Hammond argues for the U.S. to provide Taiwan with naval assets and more moder fighters to give it the ability to contend a wider range of Chinese operations.
“It is not enough to try to meet one threat or the other, we must consider both,” he said.
China in May conducted two days of air and sea-based joint military exercises around Taiwan following the inauguration speech by Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, who spoke of Taiwan’s sovereignty. China wants control over Taiwan.
Taiwan has 150 F-16s and the U.S. has agreed to sell the country another 66 of the fighters.