Notifies Congress Of Possible Sale Of Up To 66 Jets To The Country

The U.S. State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO) for 66 F-16C/D Block 70 aircraft and related equipment and support for an estimated cost of $8 billion. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale Tuesday.

DSCA says this proposed sale serves U.S. national, economic, and security interests by supporting the recipient’s continuing efforts to modernize its armed forces and to maintain a credible defensive capability. The proposed sale will help improve the security of the recipient and assist in maintaining political stability, military balance, and economic progress in the region.

This proposed sale will contribute to the recipient’s capability to provide for the defense of its airspace, regional security, and interoperability with the United States. The recipient currently operates the F-16A/B. The recipient will have no difficulty absorbing this aircraft and services into its arms forces.

The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.

The principal contractor will be Lockheed Martin, headquartered in Bethesda, MD. There are no known offset agreements proposed. The purchaser typically requests offsets. Any offset agreement would be defined in negotiations between the purchaser and the contractor(s).

Implementation of this proposed sale will require assignment of a small number of U.S. Government representatives (less than 20) and a modest number of contractor representatives to the recipient to manage the fielding and training for the program.

There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.

This notice of a potential sale is required by law and does not mean the sale has been concluded.

The proposed sale is consistent with U.S. law and policy as expressed in Public Law 96-8.

(Source: DSCA news release. Image from file)

FMI: www.dsca.mil