When the United States refused to sell F-20 and F-16 aircraft to the ROCAF they decided they
would produce their own. The AIDC (Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation) F-CK-1 is
an air superiority jet fighter capable of multi-role tasks. The aircraft was named Ching-Kuo after
the late President Chiang Ching-Kuo but commonly referred to as the IDF (Indigenous Defence
Fighter). The first flight of the FSD (Full Scale Development) was on May 28, 1989 and entered
service in 1994. The 131st and last F-CK-1 was manufactured in 1999.

The Chinese writing on the side of the fuselage just before the radome reads “Ching Kuo”. For
the first few years the aircraft didn’t wear any unit markings on the side of the fuselage just in
front of the cockpit. Around 1997 low-vis squadron markings started to be used and eventually
full colored markings appeared. Aircraft “1427 / 84-8045” was a regular production aircraft not a
pre-production variant like HA4002 so the canopy is different than the pre-production versions.
1427 / 84-8045 was assigned to Ching Chuan Kang Air Base (CCK) the home of the 427th
TFW comprised of the 3rd TFG with three squadrons. The 7th TFG “Wolf” F-CK-1A’s wear a
red tail flash, 8th TFS “Flying Dragon” has stood down and 28th TFG “Baby Dragon” F-CK-1A’s
wear a blue tail flash.

Specification IDF F-CK-1 “Ching-Kuo”

Manufacturer - Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC)
Role – Air Superiority Fighter and/or Multi-role tasks
Production – 131

Crew
1 x A an C variant
2 x B and D variants

Dimensions
Length – 14.21 m    (46 ft 7 in)
Wing Span – 9.46 m   (31 ft 0 in)
Height – 4.42 m    (14 ft 6 in)

Performance
Engines
2 x Honeywell F125-70 turbofans
Dry Thrust - 27 kN/6,000 lbf per engine
With Afterburners - 42 kN/9,500 lbf per engine
Maximum Speed – Mach 1.8
Range – 1,100 km   (600 nmi / 680 mi)
Service Ceiling – 16,800 m   (55,000 ft)

Weight
Empty – 6,500 kg   (14,300 lb)
Loaded – 9,072 kg   (20,000)
Maximum Take Off – 12,000 kg   (27,000 lb)

Armament
Internal - 1 x M61A1 6 barreled 20 mm Gatling cannon
Hardpoints – 6 x plus wingtips
Maximum Weapon Load: 3,901kg   (8,600 lb)
Assorted Weapons – AAMs / ASMs / AGMs / PGMs / bombs / FFAR pods

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