Up to 66 Aircraft Expected by 2026
The Republic of China Air Force (RoCAF) announced on 29 November it has received its first series-produced T-5 YUNG YIN advanced jet trainers (AJT) from the Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC).
The RoCAF referred to the handover as a “historic moment,” but provided no further details about future delivery schedules, according to Taiwan’s Military News Agency.
Based on the AIDC F-CK-1 CHING KUO multi-role Indigenous Defence Fighter (IDF), which entered service in the mid-1990s, the twin-seat AJT was developed in co-operation with the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST). The first of two prototypes made its first flight in June 2020, followed by the second in December.
The T-5 AJT is set to gradually replace the RoCAF’s ageing fleet of AIDC AT-3 trainers by 2026, as the service will acquire 66 examples under a NT$68.6 billion (€2.1 billion) contract awarded in 2017.
The RoCAF is also expected to buy a light attack/fighter variant of the T-5, intended to replace its F-5E/F TIGER II fleet.
Gabriel Dominguez reporting for MON
