Taiwan to get first batch of new Apache helicopters in November

[Krueger]

2013/10/17

Taipei, Oct. 17 (CNA) Taiwan is expected to get six Apache attack helicopters from the United States in early November, a military source said Thursday.

The six AH-64Es will be the first batch of an order of 30 of the advanced U.S. attack helicopters that Taiwan bought for more than US$2 billion. The last batch should be delivered in 2014, the source said.

The helicopters will be shipped to a harbor in Taiwan's southern city of Kaohsiung and then will be flown to an Army Aviation Special Forces base in neighboring Tainan City, the source said, adding that the aircraft are expected to arrive on Nov. 4 at the earliest.

According to the source, the helicopters were previously expected to be delivered to Taiwan in late October, but the schedule was delayed due to the U.S.' partial government shutdown.

The second batch of the Apache helicopters is scheduled to arrive in Taiwan in December and the helicopters will be formally commissioned into service next year, the source said.

Taiwan has sent 61 pilots to the U.S. to undergo training in flying the Apache helicopters and they have all completed the training and returned to Taiwan, the source added.

The U.S. Army has been using the AH-64Es, and Taiwan will be the world's first country other than the U.S. to deploy this type of attack chopper, the source said.

The model E is the latest model of the Apache attack helicopter family.

(By Claudia Liu and Elaine Hou)

Http://www.focustaiwan.tw/news/aipl/201310170030.aspx

 

[peaceful]

so 30 Apache helicopters to fight the second largest economy?

what a bright idea!

 

[Oldman1]

so 30 Apache helicopters to fight the second largest economy?

what a bright idea!

How many do you need?

 

[Tanja]

Taiwan early history
Early history of Taiwan
There is evidence of human settlement in Taiwan dating as far back as 30, 000–40, 000 years ago; current prevalent thinking dates the arrival of the Austronesian peoples, ancestors of many of the tribal people who still inhabit Taiwan, between 4000–5000 years ago.


http://www.fnotw.org/Article/Full/5961

 

[visom]

so 30 Apache helicopters to fight the second largest economy?

what a bright idea!

To discourage you from starting a war, not to win.

 

[Fsjal]

30 Apache helicopters against 60 WZ-10.

I wonder what would happen??

 

[帅的一匹]

30 Apache helicopters against 60 WZ-10.

I wonder what would happen??

No one will deploy heli against heli, 30 Apache won't make any difference in the battle with PLA. The result is the same rather than being eleminated.

 

[applesauce]

i should think the PLA would (secretly) welcome this, it pushes their own heli development and they get a close look at the Apache, what with all the PRC spies running around on taiwan and all.

 

[shuttler]

Good for spraying a few bullet holes on the japanese arses when we take over!

 

[AirRodgers]

Now the US is doing TOT of the Apache to China via Taiwan, I guess this is one way arms exporter can by pass the West China arms embargo... from this side of the world we see Taiwan as more of a China proxy than an allied...