|
||||||
|
|
AIDC F-CK-1A/B Ching Kuo Indigenous Defense Fighter | Details & Weapons | Fleet Images | Fleet Information |
Taiwan initiated development of the Indigenous Defense Fighter (IDF) started in May 1982,
after the U.S. government refused to sell F-16 and F-20 to Taiwan.
The Aero Industry Development Center (AIDC) under ROCAF was in charge of the program
formlly launched in 1983, which was codenamed "An Hsiang" (Safe Flight).
An Hsiang consisted of the following four development projects:
To prepare for the first flight, AIDC conducted the First Flight Readiness Review (FFRR) from January 9 to 19, 1989, during which 123 items for improvement or for further clarification were identified, most of which were attributed to the Digital Flight Control System (DFCS). After weeding out these problems, AIDC set the date for the maiden flight, codenamed "Jen Yang" Exercise, on May 28, 1989. With F-5F 5391 and AT-3 0825 acting as chase aircraft, IDF 10001 successfully took off for the first time at 1021 hours in the hand of AIDC's test pilot Colonel Kang-Ming Wu. Although the first flight was scheduled to last for one hour, it was cut short when the ground control received a fault warning signal. IDF 10001 landed safely at 1043 hours, ending the 22-minute maiden flight.
A total of four prototypes were built.
The first three, 10001 A-1, 10002 A-2, and 10003 A-3, were
single-seat aircraft and wore a blue-white-red color scheme.
Prototype number four, 10004 B-1, was a two-seater.
It was also the only prototype that was painted in camouflage.
Prototype Nos. 2, 3, and 4 made their first flights on September 27, 1989,
January 10, 1990, and July 10, 1990, respectively.
Work on the ten pre-production aircraft (six single-seat, four two-seat) started in October, 1990, and were delivered during 1992-1993. The proposed number of IDF built was slashed from 250 to 130, with 28 two-seat aircraft, after the Bush administration agreed to sell 150 Block 20 F-16A/B to Taiwan. The first production was handed to ROCAF in January, 1994. The fuselage of IDF closely resembles F-16 and F/A-18 since the program has received assistance from U.S defense contractors. The cockpit is very similar to that of F-16, with the sidestick controller on the right, the throttles on the left, and the Martin-Baker Mk 12 zero/zero ejection seat sloped at thirty degrees. There is one Elbit HUD, two Bendix MFDs, and Honeywell H423 inertial navigation system. Allied Signals' AiResearch Division helped design the environment control system. Canopies on preproduction aircraft and two-seaters are hinged on starboard side and open to port; while those on production single-seat aircraft are hinged on the rear and open upward. IDF also has almost-full-span wing flaperons and all-moving tailplanes. Its airframe is basically metal, with composite material used on the rudder, the radome, flaperons, and speed brakes. The single M-61 20 mm cannon is mounted on the port wing strake corner. The production of IDF suffered a setback in 1995 when F-CK-1A 1408 crashed in sea on July 4 due to problems associated with the fuel system . Some 40 aircraft already handed to the air force were grounded for fuel system modification. Production was halted for six months. A total of 131 IDF were built when the program ended, including an attrition replacement. The delivery of the last two production aircraft, 1502 (88-8134) and 1503 (88-8135), took place on January 14, 2000. In 1998, IDF in service began to rotate back to AIDC's Hangers 17 and 18 for post-production upgrades. Upgrades that have been publicly revealed include a GEC-Marconi (now BAE SYSTEMS) Combined Interrogator/Transponder (CIT), Litton Improved Radar Warning Receivers (IRWRs), and Rockwell Collins Instrument Landing System (ILS). Service History
On November 1, 2004, in an effort to retain experienced pilots at the flight lines, the ROCAF underwent a major reorganization in which all front-line Fighter Squadrons were upgraded to status of Tactical Fighter Groups (though the Chinese designation literally means Operations Group), while the original Tactical Fighter Groups were disbanded. The 3rd TFG at CCK AB stood down as a result. In addition, the 8th TFS was disbanded at the same time, leaving the 7th and 28th TFG the only two flying units in the 427th TFW.
The manufactuer AIDC retained all three remaining prototypes, 10001, 10003, and 10004 for further development purposes. It also keeps F-CK-1A 1417, which had been damaged in a landing accident on August 31, 1994, but had been repaired. This aircraft is used as a testbed for new systems. Details & Weapons
Fleet Images
Fleet Information
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The first prototype 10001, commonly referred to as A-1 within AIDC by its construction number,
was rolled out on December 10, 1988,
in a ceremony at AIDC presided over by then President Lee Teng-Hui,
and the aircraft was formally named
"Ching Kuo", in memory of the late President Chiang Ching-Kuo.
Ministry of National Defense subsequently designated it F-CK-1, where F stands for Fighter, CK for
Ching Kuo, and 1 for the first domestically developed fighter.
427th TFW
3rd TFG (not current)
7th TFG
8th TFS (not current)
28th TFG
443rd TFW
1st TFG (not current)
1st TFG
9th TFG
|