Despite funding problems, Taiwan Marines want their vehicles – Wendell Minnick

Although Taiwan’s military have problems in making ends meet, and have even deferred advanced US weapon systems, the island’s Marines want to push ahead with the purchase of new vehicles, writes Wendell Minnick in Defense News.

Taiwan’s Marine Corps is pushing for more money to replace its remaining LVTP-5A1 amphibious assault vehicles. 

In 2006, the service replaced the first half of its LVTPs with 54 re built AAV-7A1 amphibious assault vehicles.

Four years later, the Marines are still waiting for the Navy to release funds for 65 more AAV-7s, said a local defense industry source.

A Taiwan defense official confirmed the budget has been delayed, but denied the Navy was doing it intentionally. The entire national defense budget is taking hits to pay for $13 billion worth of new arms and equipment ordered over the last three years, including P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft, Patriot PAC-3 air defense missile systems, AH-64D Apache attack helicopters and UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopters.

More at Wendell Minnick’s weblog.

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Wendell Minnick is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. When you need him at your conference or other meeting, do get in touch.