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The US has agreed to sell to Taiwan a system with which its F-16 fighters can search and track enemy aircraft through infrared technology, a rare move by the administration of President Joe Biden to help Taipei push back against ongoing Chinese military pressure near the island.
The $500mn infrared search and track (IRST) system would “further strengthen our fighters’ ability to detect and track long-distance targets and greatly the efficacy of our air operations”, Taiwan’s defence ministry said on Thursday.
The planned sale, which was notified to Congress by the Pentagon after the state department approved it on Wednesday, would be the first major deal under Biden to upgrade the peacetime capabilities of Taiwan’s air force.
In contrast to Donald Trump’s administration, which agreed to supply big-ticket platforms such as 66 F-16 Viper aircraft and 108 main battle tanks, the Biden administration has almost exclusively allowed sales of missiles, spare parts, munitions and training as it wants Taiwan to prioritise preparation for fighting off a Chinese invasion.
But the People’s Liberation Army is continuously stepping up moves to probe the airspace and waters near Taiwan, and Taipei argues it needs more help to resist this so-called grey zone campaign.
Last month, PLA aircraft flew 163 sorties into Taiwan’s air defence identification zone, a buffer zone in international airspace. Those moves have strained Taiwan’s air force as it scrambles fighters to track the PLA aircraft and deter them from approaching further. The flights also enable the Chinese military to collect data on the locations and response speed of Taiwanese air defences every time Taiwan switches on radar.
The US-Taiwan Business Council, a lobby group, said the IRST system “should enhance Taiwan’s capability to address China’s ongoing grey zone coercion” and said an important advantage was that it would enable Taiwanese jets to track targets without activating radar.
The Biden administration’s security assistance for Taiwan “has continued to focus solely on munitions and sustainment of legacy systems . . . [This] approach leaves Taiwan vulnerable to Chinese grey zone and blockade scenarios”, said Rupert Hammond-Chambers, the business council president.
“The IRST sale may be evidence that the Biden administration is adjusting and broadening its approach in support of Taiwan’s defence, given that this sale provides new capabilities that enhance Taiwan’s military ability to meet PLA threats beyond the narrow asymmetric view.”
The new system, to be provided by Lockheed Martin, would better enable Taiwan to defend its airspace, provide regional security and increase its ability to operate with US forces through its F-16 programme, said the US defence department’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency.
Taiwan has 141 older F-16 models which are being upgraded to the newer Viper type. The 66 new F-16 V aircraft approved by Trump are due to arrive by the end of 2026.
