... and I saw something interesting.

On its fifth page, there is a picture of a F-CK-1B carrying TC-2A on its outer wing pylons(or, more precisely, the left one)- but my question isn't related to that.

The fighter also carries a pod on its right wingtip rail.  It looks like...... uh...... perhaps a TC-1 with all its fin and seeker head removed and painted in entirely white.  Is it some sort of specially designed pod or just a dummy TC-1?  The fighter is carrying a TC-1 on its left wingtip rail- however, I don't know if it's a dummy.

(I know, I should have put up the pic, but I do not have a scanner)

Something along the line of HTS? Don't think RoCAF needs it though, the USAF relies on HST because they don't have a decent SEAD "hunter", whereas RoCAF has Mirage 2000 with ASTAC pod.

... it looks like it can indeed be fitted into a pair of specially designed pylons(I proposed the idea, inspired by a Denish F-16 self-defense system, on the board a while ago).

Speaking of ASTAC, I do have the same question as you do.  I couldn't even recall any magazine article nor any previous RoCAF display involving Mirage 2000 that showed any sign the pod in RoCAF service.

Don't expect to see ASTAC till they reach IOC in RoCAF. Love the idea of non-jettisonable payload in pylons, the US Navy experimented with ECM suite in pylons of F/A-18, but eventually figured there's enough room in the fuselage of the Hornet.

With the acquisition of ASTAC, TC-2A, & funding of stand-off munitions, it appears RoCAF is taking SEAD quite seriosuly, yet without dedicated ECM platforms, even if the Wild Weasels have robust self-defense ECM capability, I still have serious doubt over their survivability, let alone effectiveness. No, that single C-130HE isn't enough. It seems counter-intuitive for RoCAF to invest so much $$$ for a "incomplete" SEAD capability; something must be in the pipeline that isn't getting the media attention it deserve. I'm inclined to believe it will proceed in parallel with the medium transport programe: maybe EC-27J?

If RoCAF aquire ASTAC, it would only be usual for magazines like DTM and DI to report the aquisition even though we won't see the pods until the reach IOC, right?  At least that's what happened in the case of Pathfinder/Sharpshooter.

I didn't see any report about it; no even the one tc pons saw.

What I ask on the ASTAC pots, have I heard on the following sources. You say that it have not read on DTM and DI. I live not in Taiwan and cannot read Chinese, thus I cannot read these magazines. 

On www.geocities.com/Area51/Capsule/6480/taiwanupd.html

Mirage 2000-5Ei/Di : All delivered by December 1998. First Mica AAM fired May 8th 1998. To receive ASTAC ELINT pot.

On the AFM June 2001 blz. 13 

Taiwan’s Mirage 2000-5Ei/Di are to be upgrade to use the Thales ASTAC ( Analyseur Super Heterodyne Tactique ) electronic intelligence pod under the “ Flying Dragon “ programme. 

I ask it Wei-Bin Chang, maker of the Military of The Republic of China website on http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/2815/index.html He answer : 

I have heard of such an upgrade from local media. However, I do not have official confirma-tion and I don't know about the number of pods in service either. 

About the EW, I can say the following things. I think that EW is thing of the future. In the Kosovo conflict the EW airplane are the busiest airplanes the have flow. The EA-6Bs pilots logged more hours than all others airplanes. All important air strike have been taken place under heavy EW escort.  

The Royal Norway Air Force ( RNAF ) says that EW is very important. The RNAF have 2 Dassault 20 Falcon business jets in EW configuration. The RNAF say whit not EW, the RNAF lost 20% by day. With EW only 0,5%. You sea, EW is very important. You see the same by the Israel Air Force. In the Beka Conflict the IDF/AF destroy 82 Syrian MiG without the lost of one aircraft. Why?? EW. The IDF/AF see the Syrian MiGs takes of from its air bases whit EAW, it can direct his planes to the MiG and the can shot down these MiGs. The IDF/AF can see the SAM batteries ( SA-3 SA-6 SA-8 ) and can jamming the SAM sites and the IDF/AF fighters destroys the SAM sites. 

Al this things are lesson for the ROCAF. One EC-130H is not enough for the ROCAF. I think that the ROCAF must buy business jets and modernized these to EW. The CSIST can moderi-zed these jets and make the ROCAF to a up to date air force on EW.

So it is indeed possible that RoCAF is hiding ASTAC from the spotlight until it reaches IOC......

As for EW capability, the existing C-130HE was, as Bryan C put it, one-of-a-kind private venture.

Isn't RoCAF reportedly attempting to procure EC-130H?  Is there any development regarding it?  How does everyone think of tc pons' idea of developing EW aircraft based on bizjets?

Thank you for your reponse

One question. Have some of you a photo of the F-16 with LANTIRN. I have many photos of ROCAF F-16 by not one with LANTIRN