Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense has provided an update on development activities for the first countries’ indigenous advanced jet trainer (AJT) program, also known as Yung Yin (Brave Eagle).
Just this week, the Ministry of National Defense has released new imagery showing two Brave Eagle prototypes flying together marked another step of he indigenous AJT program.
“We look forward to the upcoming operational test by Republic of China Air Force [Taiwanese Air Force],” said in a statement on an official Twitter account.
Taiwanese media on March. 3, reported that the chairman of the Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) was a passenger onboard one of two aircraft during the test flight.
AIDC Chairman Hu Kai-hung, a former Air Force pilot, took one of the two flights Tuesday that followed the standard war training program for new jets over the course of 40 minutes, CNA reported. Internal company tests have been completed, so now it is up to the Air Force to put the jets through their paces before taking delivery by the end of the year.
The planes are the first two out of 66 which are scheduled to enter service by the end of 2026 and replace the U.S.-made F-5s, which have served Taiwan for at least 35 years, multiple news outlets reported.