AIDC F-CK-1 Ching-kuo

The Republic of China (Taiwan) Air Force's AIDC F-CK-1 Ching-kuo (經國號戰機) is a light fighter aircraft named after the late ROC President Chiang Ching-kuo. It entered active service in 1994, and 131 production aircraft had been manufactured by 1999. Although named and commonly known as the Indigenous Defence Fighter (IDF), the project was a joint effort between Taiwanese and United States defense companies, with final assembly by the Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) (based in Taichung, Taiwan). The IDF program was initiated when purchase of the US -built F-20 Tigershark ran into political problems. Fast and formidable, the Ching-kuo will be a vital element in protecting Taiwan from attack for many years to come.