Strong rumors – denied by the government – suggest Taiwan is planning to defer payments for US weapon systems to the US, writes the Asia Sentinel. Defense expert Wendell Minnick suggests that would give the Obama administration a good argument to back out of already closed weapon deals.Read More →
Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou urged the U.S. to release F-16 fighters and submarines during a speech May 12 at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, writes Wendell Minnick in Defense News.Read More →
F16CJ via Wikipedia Taiwan is getting frustrated over a US fighter deal as Washington does not want to upset China, or lose the weapons in case of a reunion, writes Wendell Minnick in Defense News. Taiwan’s request for 66 F-16C/D Block 50/52 fighters for $5.5 billion and for an upgradeRead More →
Wendell Minnick The high-profile Taiwanese spy general Lo keeps on rocking the military establishment. In the Wall Street Journal Wendell Minnick gives his take on the largest spy case in 50 years in Taiwan. The Wall Street Journal: Wendell Minnick, the Asia bureau chief of Defense News, an independent defenseRead More →
Wendell Minnick The Russian fighter jet MiG-29k is “no option” for China’s former Soviet-built carrier Varyag, told a Russian defense official at the 2011 Aero India air show in Bangalore, writes Wendell Minnick in Defense News. “This is not an option for China’s aircraft carrier program,” the Russian defense industry official said,Read More →
Hu Jintao via Wikipedia The military take on president Hu Jintao by testing their J-20 stealth fighter just days before he leave for the US, writes John Pomfret in the Washington Post. Wrong, argues Shaun Rein in CNBC. The opposite is true. President Hu is undoubtedly quite in control ofRead More →
Image via Wikipedia China has conducted its first test flights with the Chengdu J-20 Black Eager stealth fighter; reports Wendell Minnick in Defense News. According to Chinese-language news reports, a twin-engine J-20 prototype flew for 18 minutes on Jan. 11 from the “Plant 132 aerodrome” in Chengdu in southwest China.Read More →
Not only for space via Wikipedia A supersonic combat aircraft is next on the wishlist of China’s aviation industry, defense specialist Wendell Minnick writes in Defense News. China is looking for a new bomber in the 21th century, meaning also militarizing space. Revealed at the recent 8th China International AviationRead More →
Image via Wikipedia Defense expert Wendell Minnick further explores China’s efforts to expand its UAV reconnaissance and strike capabilitiesm. He looks back at the Zhuhai Air Show in Defense News at the offers from AVIC, CASC, CASIC and ASN. The China Aviation Industry Corp. (AVIC) displayed a model of theRead More →
Image via Wikipedia Chinese companies have displayed 25 different models of UAV, unmanned airplanes, at the Zhuhai air show, stressing it technological development, writes defense expert Wendell Minnick in Defense News. Three Chinese companies – ASN Technology Group, China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp. (CASIC), and China Aerospace Science andRead More →
Wendell Minnick Defense specialist Wendell Minnick got a preview of the site of the 8th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition (Zhuhai Airshow), beginning today, showing off China’s military capabilities in the air. Seventy aircrafts from 35 countries joined 600 domestic exhibitors. There were several detailed artist renderings of anti-ship cruiseRead More →
Image via Wikipedia China’s military leaders at the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) might belong to the most powerful, its Air Force might be rising, but is still lacking clout, learned Wendell Minnick at a conference last week in Taipei on the position of the PLA Air Force (PLAAF), he writesRead More →