President Ma Ying-jeou attended a ceremony on the morning of June 30 in the Shalu District of Taichung City marking the delivery of upgraded, locally made Indigenous Defense Fighter (IDF) aircraft. The president expressed his appreciation to the employees of Aerospace Industrial Development Corp. (AIDC) for their work on the aircraft, and reiterated the government's commitment to maintaining the ROC's defense capabilities and honing the nation's ability to produce warplanes on its own.
In remarks delivered at the event, the president said that this is the first time that he has observed the IDF up close. He remarked that over two decades ago when the plane was first produced, people ridiculed the plane's English acronym as being short for "I Don't Fly." However, it has now been proven that the IDF not only can fly, but also does an excellent job with what it was designed to do. The aircraft not only flies well, but also has experienced a very limited number of mishaps, and after all this time in service it is still a valuable aircraft that is worthy of an upgrade. This highlights that the IDF acronym stands for "I Do Fly," "I Do Fight," and "I Don’t Fail," the president said.
President Ma stated that he has also directed the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, and AIDC to look into the possibility of developing high performance training aircraft. Efforts will be needed to overcome developmental hurdles so that the nation can provide for its own defense and to boost its capacity to build jetfighters, he said. Although various difficulties may be encountered in the process of trying to reach this goal, the president mentioned that the experience of building the IDF highlights the ROC's ability to overcome challenges and also demonstrates the progress made in developing technology on our own. This is an extremely valuable asset that should be cherished, he said.
President Ma stated that over the past three years his administration has worked to improve cross-strait relations, which has brought incipient signs of peace to the Taiwan Strait. He added that the defense of Taiwan relies not only on our defensive might, but also on institutionalizing cross-strait rapprochement, enhancing Taiwan's contributions to international development, and aligning Taiwan's defense with diplomacy , which constitute the three lines of defense for Taiwan. This is what will protect the nation's security and the dignity of our people, he said.
The president furthermore stated that AIDC plays an important role in Taiwan's aviation industry and that the company has begun accepting work from major aircraft manufacturers in the United States, Japan, and Canada, providing assistance in the manufacture and design of aircraft. The company has also branched out into the automobile electronics and meteorological research fields, thereby developing a diversified business strategy. AIDC continues to look forward, he said, adding that he hopes the company will continue to help develop Taiwan's aviation industry.
After concluding his remarks, the president cut the ribbon on one of the upgraded IDF aircraft and then stepped into the cockpit to examine the plane in closer detail. The president gave a big thumbs-up to recognize the outstanding performance of the IDF and to urge the nation's military on to even greater achievements.