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ROCAF IDF (Indigenous Defence Fighter) F-CK-1C 'Ching-Kuo' in 1/48...

...early news of a new kit coming from AFV Club

The F-CK-1C was developed by the Republic of China (Taiwan) and first flew in 1989, entering service in the mid-1990s. 

Due to pressure from the larger China, agreements with the USA hindered support and updates for their older F104 and F5 aircraft used by the ROCAF.  So they designed and built their own new aircraft.  Original plans were for 256 aircraft though in the end only 130 were built as the ROC was later able to buy F16s from the USA and Mirage 2000 from France. 

The Ching-Kuo was named after the late President of the ROC, Chiang Ching-Kuo.

ROCAF IDF(Indigenous Defense Fighter) F-CK-1C "Ching-kuo"

 

After defeat in the civil war, the ROC government moved to Taiwan from China in 1949.

Due to the Korean war, the United States resumed military assistance to the ROC government  in 1951. But in 1979, the United States recognized the government of People's Republic of China and suspended military cooperation with Taiwan.

In 1982, the United States signed a joint communique( 817 communique) with  People's Republic of China's government. The communique's content contained  the United States arms sales to Taiwan of quantity and quality will be progressively reduced in the future. In such circumstances, Taiwan has been unable to obtain advanced F-5G and F-16/79. While serving as Taiwan's air defense F-104 is getting old, and a huge number of F-5E because of performance limitations in low altitude defense. Acquisition of new aircraft is becoming an urgent problem to be solved.

Although the joint communique( 817 communique) limit performance of the United States arms  sales to Taiwan, in 1982. But the United States still unilaterally made a guarantee to Taiwan, for the transfer of American technology and the assistance of Taiwan's defense industry. Let Taiwan's defense industry turn on a new milestone.

Before the communique signed a year earlier, Taiwan's Aero Industry Development Center already contains the General Dynamics and the Defense enterprise groups of the United States, ,respectively in the airframe, engines, avionics, and expand cooperation in the field of weapons, new fighter project name as "self-defense fighter".

Due to this position as defensive fighters, in partial performance option on the choice. Scrambling capacity sharply over the F-16,  the voyage as similar as F-5E, to ground attack is worse than F-16. Lightweight airframe let aircraft  keep thrust to maintain mobility by two TFE-1042 commercial engine. Left and right inlets inside the fuselage bending out, effectively reduce the reflected signal strength caused by fan blades.

The first prototype of aircraft was named as  formerly president "Ching-kuo"(經國), when it left factory. At the same time the Ministry of Defense also named the F-CK-1A / B model according to the naming rules (F refers to the fighter, CK for the name "by the country" English prefix, 1 for the first type, and A / B type distinction, Machine). In 1992 the official army service.

In 2001, ROC air force launched "performance improvements program" to enhance the air and ground attack, electronic warfare system and solve the source of parts and accessories disappeared.
The program's prototype manufactured by the development center of Han-Xiang company's  2 prototypes, also named as F-CK-1C/D.  And the development center of Han-Xiang company paint two chinese words "Hsheng Sheng"(翔昇) on the prototype.

However, the ROC Air Force did not fully accept all the upgrade projects . In addition, the ROC Air Force has proposed the simple plan which  select part of the upgrade projects to carry out the performance improvement (MLU). After the completion of the upgrade named as the F-CK-1A / B MLU.

Originally proposed from the Tainan 443 wing's 71 F-CK-1s to enhance since 2009. And then further on Taichung CCK 427 wing's F-CK-1s to upgrade.

On January 16, 2014, Tainan 443 wing officially announced to turn into an army. On the same day, in order to simplify the name, the Air Force will complete the upgraded fighter from F-CK-1A / B MLU renamed F-CK-1C / D, referred to as IDF C / D.

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(My thanks to AFV Club for the news. Robin)

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