Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense will spend 10.2 billion New Taiwan dollars ($329 million) to purchase spare engine parts for its Mirage 2000-5 fleet.
A government source told local media outlets that the contract aims to ensure the French-made fighter jets will remain mission-capable for years to come.
The aircraft has been in service with the Taiwanese Air Force for more than two decades.
According to the source, the order will be fulfilled starting this month until December 2028 for the Mirage fleet based at Hsinchu Air Base.
Reports about extending the service life of Taiwan’s fourth-generation combat jets surfaced as early as mid-2023 as the country awaits the delivery of American F-16 jets.
The Taiwan Mirage
Manufactured by Dassault, the Mirage 2000-5 is a single-engine aircraft armed with Magic 2 air-to-air missiles to support aerial combat and ground support roles.
It can fly at a maximum speed of 2,530 kilometers (703 miles) per hour.
In 1997, the Taiwanese Air Force ordered a total of 60 Mirages, but crashes have reduced the number of operational aircraft to 54.
They were commissioned to safeguard the country’s airspace, especially in northern Taiwan, amid escalating tensions with China.
In addition to spare engine parts, Taipei reportedly reached an agreement with a French company to buy components for the air-to-air missiles fired from its Mirage 2000-5s.
