US State Department approves potential USD280 million FMS to Taiwan of field information communication system

The US Department of State has approved a potential USD280 million Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Taiwan of a Field Information Communications System (FICS) along with related equipment and services.

In a 7 December statement the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said that the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO), Taiwan’s principal representative office in the country, had requested to buy an FICS consisting of 154 communications nodes with S-788 Type III shelter; 24 communication relays with S-788 Type III shelter; eight network management systems with S-788 Type III shelter; basic issue items; programme management support; verification testing; system technical support; transportation; and spare and repair parts.

Also included in the proposed sale, which still needs to be approved by the US Congress, are communication support equipment, communication equipment integration, tools and test equipment, personnel training and training equipment, an initial repair and return programme, an “Additional Authorized List (AAL)”, technical manuals, a quality assurance team, US government and contractor engineering, technical and logistics support services, contractor provided training, field service representatives, and other related elements of logistics and programme support, according to the DSCA.

The agency said that the proposed sale, which will support Taiwan’s “continuing efforts to modernise its armed forces and to maintain a credible defensive capability”, is designed to provide mobile and secure communications.

“It will contribute to the recipient's goal to modernise its military communication’s capability in support of their mission and operational needs,” noted the DSCA, adding that the principal contractor is currently unknown due to a pending open competition for selection.

The agency also pointed out that the purchaser typically requests offsets, adding that any offset agreement will be defined in negotiations between the purchaser and the contractor(s).