Inside the Ring

Taiwan air threats

Included in the Obama administration’s latest arms package for Taiwan will be authorization for a joint U.S.-Taiwan feasibility study on bolstering air power against the threats to the island posed by Chinese missiles and aircraft, according to U.S. officials.

The administration put off actual sales of newer F-16s, but if the study, which will be conducted rapidly, determines that the jets are needed, they will be authorized in the coming months, said officials familiar with the arms deal who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The current package, worth several billion dollars, augments an earlier arms offer worth $6.5 billion that was announced in October 2008.

The latest arms package includes 60 UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, air defense communications equipment and additional Patriot PAC-3 missile defenses, according to congressional and administration officials who said an announcement on the package is imminent.

Support for helping the Taiwanese military to build eight diesel electric submarines is not included in the package, the officials said.

The Pentagon considered authorizing the submarine feasibility study to examine whether they should be built in Taiwan or bought from a foreign supplier in Europe. The submarines could cost as much as $4 billion.

A Taiwan defense official has said the Black Hawks were a more urgent need than the 30 AH-64 Apache attack helicopters approved in 2008, since the Black Hawks can be used for military and humanitarian operations.

Cool reception

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and senior Obama administration officials received a chilly reception on Wednesday during a breakfast meeting with congressional leaders on White House plans to loosen export controls.

Less than five members, out of more than a dozen that were invited, showed up for the members-only breakfast sponsored by Rep. Howard L. Berman, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Florida Republican and ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee who also attended the breakfast, told Inside the Ring that she is skeptical of the export-control reform effort.

“The administration has yet to make a good case for sweeping export-control reform,” she said in a statement. “The claim that export controls are negatively affecting our competitive edge regarding defense transfers is not based on any solid evidence.”

Ms. Ros-Lehtinen said she is concerned that sweeping proposals are aimed at loosening trade restrictions. “The U.S. continues to lead the world in global arms deliveries and transfer agreements. I am concerned that sweeping proposals aimed at loosening restrictions on transfers to our allies would target a problem which doesn’t exist while potentially weakening oversight mechanisms designed to prevent weapons from falling into the hands of our enemies. We need a firmer factual basis before we make any leap that could endanger national security interests.”

According to congressional aides, the members did not receive positive signals from those attending.

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