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 443rd TFW is located at Tainan Air Base and was made up of the 1st TFG which was
comprised of the 1st, 3rd and 9th TFS. The 1st TFG began converting from the Northrop F-5 to
the IDF F-CK1A in 1997 with The 1st TFS being declared operational on February 19, 1998, the
3rd TFS on January 7, 1999 and the 9th TFS on July 14, 2000. In 2003 reorganization within
the RoCAF meant the 1st TFG was deactivated and the 1st, 3rd and 9th TFS became TFGs
and are subordinate to the 443rd TFW. F-CK1A 1455 "86-8078" belongs to the 3rd TFG.

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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