Mechanical Themes Woven Into Stories (各出所學 各盡所知)

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.

Nothing Comes Without a Cost

From the imported MiG-9 jet of 1950, to the national pride of indigenous stealth fighters via copied Russian types cross millennium, Chinese aviation engineers worked all their lives to get where they are today.  Since its first successful MiG-17 copy (Re-designated J-5) in 1956, nearly 10,000 aircraft churned out under dozens of designations.  This industrialization is achieved through a long struggling, its success have eventually outperformed the grotesque neighbor on measures of defense might.  Especially right after the Sino-Vietnamese War in 1979, its air power modernization changed from flying artillery to air superiority dominance. 

When China proudly unveils its KJ-200, KJ-2000 J-10, J-11, and J-15 in dazzling Zhuhai 2016 and previous air shows, there were several unsuccessful projects, namely, J-8, J-9, J-12 and J-13 etc. were aborted.  Though these designs became obsolete even before accomplished, they laid the foundation of the integral development of the overall aviation industry.  After its Maoist-fueled isolationism sentiment diminished in 1978, Grumman joined the Shenyang Aircraft Corp. (Plant 112)'s J-8 project under the code Engineering 82 in 1986.  In this unparalleled 14 years R&D, it's rival, Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corp. (Plant 132)'s J-10 project surpassed J-8 by a decade, soon the CAIC was chosen to produce Boeing 757's empennage and MD-80/9o's nose section.

China has the ability of have a coherent conversation and achieve consensus, on topics of national importance, then real progress become possible.  Unlike this longing for self-sustainability, Taiwan heads big-ticket weaponry purchase in an apparently misguided attempt to pay its protection fee to the US.  In a standoff air combat, the J-11 with ZHUK-M radar can easily outclass both Taiwanese Mirage 2000-5 with Mica missile, and F-16MLR with AIM-120 missile; let along the superb maneuverable J-15 in dog fight.  Lucky for the intentionally blinded Taiwanese not falling on this issue.  Across the Taiwan Strait, the historical march toward a more stable and less violent era continues, but not without chilly times ahead for the island state.