The Taiwanese military is bracing for a massive decommissioning of its aging assets as part of a renewed push to modernize its capabilities.
More than 1,000 outdated weapons systems are set to be mothballed between 2024 and 2028, according to Rear Admiral Chen Chun-chung.
Among those are indigenous CM24 armored vehicles, M41D tanks, and F-5 supersonic light fighter jets.
Chen explained that retiring these aging systems will allow the Ministry of National Defence to save money on costly maintenance work.
The total projected savings from the massive decommissioning is 3.2 billion New Taiwan dollars ($98.6 million).
No Definite Replacement Yet
In service for nearly five decades, the F-5 jets are now being used by the Taiwanese military to train future pilots.
The CM24, meanwhile, still transports artillery shells and ammunition to various bases around the country.
But despite their imminent retirement, there are still no definite replacements for the aging assets.
Chen only told reporters that “contingencies” are now in place and the defense ministry will make an official announcement once everything is finalized.
For the F-5, the military only hinted that it would be replaced by advanced trainer jets.
Notably, Taipei has an ongoing program for the development of an indigenous military trainer aircraft, which completed the preliminary design phase earlier this year.
The country also recently unveiled its new eight-wheeled fighting vehicle prototype, which can engage a target while simultaneously tracking another.
