Taiwan to Begin Receiving P-3C Orion, AH-64E Apache and UH-60M Black Hawk

After some delay, Taiwan is set to finally receive the aircraft it had previously ordered during the first administration of President Ma Ying-jeou. The aircraft to be delivered by the United States include:

• a $1.96 billion contract for delivery of 12 P-3C Orion anti-submarine warfare aircraft to replace the S-2T patrol aircraft starting at the end of 2013
• a $2.53 billion contract for 30 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters to supplement the two existing squadrons of AH-1W Super Cobras starting in the fourth quarter of 2013
• a $3.11 billion contract for delivery of 60 UH-60M Black Hawk utility helicopters to replace the UH-1H utility helicopters starting in March 2014

The total value is around $7.6 billion.

The Lockheed Martin P-3C Orion is a four-engined turboprop, anti-submarine warfare and maritime surveillance aircraft with:

• a length of 35.6 m
• a wingspan of 30.4 m
• a height of 11.8 m
• an empty weight of 35000 kg
• a max takeoff weight of 64400 kg
• a max speed of of 750 km/h
• a max range of 4400 km
• an endurance of 16 hrs
• a max ceiling of 10400 m 
• 4 Allison T56-A-14 turboprop engines, 4600 shp each

The aircraft can be fitted with depth charges, torpedoes, anti-ship missiles and other air-to-surface missiles

By Los688 [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons

By US Army [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

By US Navy [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons