The air force is today scheduled to take delivery of the first indigenous Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) to roll off the production line, a military source said yesterday.
Manufactured by government-funded Aerospace Industrial Development Corp (AIDC, 漢翔航空), the trainer (serial number 11003) has completed all the tests required before delivery to the military, including a successful round of test flights on Oct. 21, said the source, who asked to remain anonymous.
At 9am today, the AJT is to take off from Taichung Air Base, where AIDC is located, before it arrives at Taitung Air Base at 10am, the source said.
Photo: CNA
When it lands, a water salute would be held to welcome the jet, the source added.
A Ministry of National Defense report delivered to the Legislative Yuan in September said that AIDC planned to deliver two AJTs to the air force by the end of this year.
A second AJT (serial number 11004) has also been built, and its first round of test flights was conducted in Taichung on Saturday, the source said.
Two AJT prototypes (serial numbers 11001 and 11002) were also produced, with test flights conducted in June and December last year.
Sixty-six AJTs are expected to be delivered before the end of 2026, the ministry report said.
The AJT project was launched in 2017 to replace the military’s decades-old AT-3 trainer aircraft and F-5E/F lead-in fighter trainers.
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