Taiwan says air force to get 3 helicopters from Europe

AFB via Yahoo News ^ | 01/04/2010 | AFP

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

Taiwan's air force said Friday the island had signed a contract worth 110 million US dollars with Eurocopter to acquire three helicopters for rescue missions.

The EC225 long-range transport helicopters are scheduled to be delivered to the island at the end of 2011 to join the air force's rescue team, said Yin Shih-hsien, an official at the air force.

The announcement comes amid an ongoing row between China and the United States over a US decision to deliver a 6.4-billion-dollar arms package to the island, which Beijing claims as its territory.

Eurocopter is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS), the parent company of Airbus and one of the three largest aerospace groups in the world.

This is the third time Taiwan has acquired military equipment from Europe, after its purchase of French-made Lafayette-class frigates and Mirage fighter jets in the early 1990s, according to local media.

Washington is the leading arms supplier to self-ruled Taiwan, even though it switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979.

Beijing has threatened to use force if Taiwan declares formal independence, but ties have improved since China-friendly Ma Ying-jeou became president of Taiwan in 2008.

[Tainan]

Super Puma...good helo for the job they're being bought for. Replacing CH47s and some UH1Cs which are getting rather long in the tooth.