Before the US Military Assistance Advisory Group withdrawal from Taiwan in December of 1978, my father Wei-Liang Lee (李惟梁), with his multicultural and technical expertise, was one of the few industry leaders the US advisers could rely on for assistance and allyship. As the general manager of Taiwan Aluminum Corporation, W.L. was not only the top-flight mechanical-metallurgical engineer in Taiwan, but also a known indigenous sustainability advocate. Although he had the idea for local production of the M-113 armored personnel carrier, he needed the specifications for its aluminum armor plate. To ensure its own dominance in the region, the US discouraged Taiwan from making its own heavy equipment. However, amateur diplomat W.L. managed to acquire the M-113 manual with the magnesium aluminum alloy spec through the proper channels. Worded as a subtle technical transfer under the benign eye of a American friend, W.L. jumped at his M-113 APC project.
Applying his knowledge, W.L. successfully developed the highest strength aluminum, and the new aircraft-quality alloy was fitted into his Talco strategy of added-value products. As per the 113 spec, its armor is made from the 5083 super alloy. My dad still needed a tactical hardness test from the US Army to compare the Talco product and 5083, while the US was reluctant to test this Taiwanese material. Delayed by the US apprehension, fortunately the chief of the ROC purchase contingent to Washington lent a hand, since Gen. Wen Ha-Xong (溫哈雄) also regarded charismatic W.L. as a decent friend. In the two years long effort, Gen. Wen made the US Army release its test result.
According to the 113 requirements, its armor should resist certain projectiles from various impact angles. Though the Talco product fulfilled 97% of the requirement, it qualified for the standard on the reasonable merit. This achievement provided a solid foundation for the Combined Logistics Command’s “Ten Thousand Chariots Program (萬乘計劃)”, for domestic M-113 production. W.L. lost no time on 5083 mass production right after Talco received DOD’s 113 armor orders. All the first batch of 60 then 250 more vehicle materials passed the Army’s inspection before 1985. Based on its maintenance experience on steel chassis, the Armoured Vehicle Development Center did not have an argon welder for aluminum alloy. Soon after the argon welding training by Talco instructors, the AVDC began churning out hundreds of 113s.
