Taiwan Thursday displayed its first long-range submarine-hunting aircraft, days after Beijing showed off its nuclear-powered submarine fleet in yet another sign of China's fast expanding military might. Taiwan's military introduced the Lockheed P-3C Orion at a ceremony presided over by President Ma Ying-jeou at an airbase in the southern county of Pingtung. "As the president of the country, I'm proud that the aircraft is joining the force," Ma said.
The aircraft was delivered late last month. The air force will receive three more by year-end and eight others by 2015, the military said.
Ma said the fleet of 12 P-3C Taiwan ordered from the United States "is the most advanced among the hundreds that are serving many countries in the world".
"I believe that after the aircraft join the air force, we will see our underwater anti-submarine, ship-to-ship and air attack capabilities greatly enhanced."
Experts say the refurbished P-3C, which can stay in the air for up to 17 hours and is armed with Harpoon missiles and MK46 torpedoes, will expand the surveillance range of Taiwan's current anti-submarine fleet tenfold.
The P-3C fleet, which will cost around $1.96 billion, will supersede ageing S-2T anti-submarine aircraft.
Thursday's high-profile ceremony came after several state-run papers in China ran front-page stories on the four-decade-old submarine fleet, in an overt declaration of China's high-seas strength.
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