A Taiwan air force AT-5 Brave Eagle advanced jet trainer crashed into the sea on Saturday after suffering a dual-engine failure, the military confirmed. The pilot successfully ejected and was rescued, reads a Bangkok Post report.
This marks the first major incident involving the domestically developed AT-5, produced by state-owned Aerospace Industrial Development Corp with a budget of T$68.6 billion (US$2.1 billion). The aircraft, which completed its first test flight in 2020, had logged only 183 flying hours before the crash.
The air force said the jet took off from Chihhang Air Base in Taitung on a weapons training mission before reporting engine failure. An investigation has been launched.
Taiwan plans to acquire 66 AT-5 units by 2026 to replace its aging AT-3 and U.S.-made F-5 trainers, which have been involved in multiple crashes in recent years.
While Taiwan primarily relies on U.S. military equipment, the government has prioritized strengthening its domestic defense industry as China intensifies military activities near the island. The AT-5 is Taiwan’s first domestically developed jet since the F-CK-1 Ching-kuo Indigenous Defense Fighter (IDF) debuted more than three decades ago.
Designed for both air-to-air and air-to-ground combat training, the AT-5 is capable of short-runway operations. It can also be armed, though its weaponization remains in the testing phase.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
