The US has signaled willingness to restart discussion on Taiwan's long-sought acquisition of MH-60R anti-submarine helicopters, a senior government official said today.
The military currently operates 17 S-70C anti-submarine helicopters, down from 21 due to four major flight safety incidents, people familiar with the matter said.
To enhance Taiwan's anti-submarine capabilities, the military planned to purchase MH-60Rs, with the possibility of exceeding its original plan of 10 to 12 aircraft, they said.
The exact number is to be finalized after negotiation between Washington and Taipei, the source said, despite some military sources suggesting 13 or more.
Along with the potential helicopter procurement, the military also plans to purchase onboard anti-submarine sonar, advanced avionics, MK54 or MK50 torpedoes, anti-ship Hellfire missiles, laser-guided rockets and machine guns, the source said.
The navy has set up a team to manage the MH-60R arms sale, handling matters such as the required quantity, total program cost, implementation schedule and performance specifications, the official said.
The military is optimistic about the possibility of the inclusion of the potential procurement in the special defense procurement budget, they added.
The MH-60R is one of the US Navy's primary anti-submarine helicopters and has been widely procured by Asia-Pacific nations.
South Korea received its first MH-60R last year, while New Zealand in August announced that it would acquire five.
This trend, combined with Taiwan's need to update its fleet, highlights the growing threat from China's submarine capabilities in the region, military sources said.
The US is willing to sell the MH-60R to allies to effectively counter China's military expansion, they said.
However, Taiwan's request to procure the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye early warning aircraft remained off the table, the official said.
The air force has long eyed the E-2Ds and asked Washington twice for their sale, a source previously said.
The first request was rejected due to its perceived redundancy with land-based radar, the source said.
The military's plan to obtain the radar planes was based on "clear operational need and in no way wastes public funds," they added.