Aircraft Deal Hinges On US Military, Officials Say

, The Ministry of National Defense should take the U.S. military's advice into account when choosing a contractor to refurbish the P-3C maritime patrol aircraft that the ministry plans to purchase from the US, officials said on Monday. 
 
The officials' remarks were made in response to efforts by former U.S. deputy secretary of state Richard Armitage — who now works as a lobbyist — to campaign on behalf of L3 Communications/Integrated Systems to be selected by Taiwan as the preferred contractor for the refurbishing of the aircraft. 
 
The Chinese-language United Evening News reported that Armitage had written to President Chen Shui-bian, National Security Council Secretary-General Chiou I-jen, Premier Su Tseng-chang and Minister of National Defense Lee Jye, urging them to hold a bidding contest for the contract to refurbish the aircraft. 
 
Chiou told the Legislature's National Defense Committee that he had not received a letter from Armitage. However, Chiou said, he had obtained a copy of the letter, but still needed to verify the authenticity of its content. 
 
Chiou told the committee that “the procurement of P-3C aircraft is an arms-related deal, not a business sale, so it would be decided after deliberations by the defense departments of both countries.” 
 
When asked whether he was in favor of Armitage's proposal, Chiou said that it was not up to him to decide. He added that he played no part in the arms procurement project and that the matter was being handled by the Ministry of National Defense. 
 
Meanwhile, Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lee Wen-chung, a senior member of the National Defense Committee, told a press conference that the military should authorize its U.S. counterpart to choose a contractor for the refurbishment of the P-3Cs. 
 
“If the U.S. selected a contractor for us promising that the option would not delay the delivery schedule, offering better technical and support solutions, and guaranteeing the navy's requirement of extending the aircraft's operational expectancy by 15,000 hours, then the Taiwanese military should honor the US' selection,” Lee said. 
 
However, if the U.S. military is unable to offer the best option for Taiwan, a public bidding process would be a reasonable choice, he said. 
 
According to a copy of Armitage's letter which the Taipei Times obtained from a member of the National Defense Committee, the former U.S. official urged Taiwan to select L3, saying it could provide a superior platform at a lower cost than contractors from South Korea or New Zealand. 
 
He also said that the Navy should ask the U.S. Navy to select the best option.
 
Taiwan has proposed the purchase of 12 P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft from the US. Under the new budget bill, the Cabinet has earmarked NT$1.6 billion (US$48.2 million) for the purchase of the aircraft. 
 
The Presidential Office said on Monday that President Chen Shui-bian had not received any letter from Armitage regarding the arms procurement package.