Noise Complaints Hit Air Force Academy
New Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) Too LOUD for Local Yokels!
China In Arms BOOKSTORE and GIFT SHOP!
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7 May 2025 (Wednesday)
Noise Complaints Hit Air Force Academy
New Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) Too LOUD for Local Yokels!
By Wendell Minnick (Whiskey Mike) 顏文德
TAIPEI — At the Kangshan Air Base in Kaohsiung County, Taiwan’s Air Force Academy is currently testing its new domestically developed AIDC T-5 Brave Eagle (BE) Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT). The T-5 is set to replace the aging fleet of 60 AT-3 Tzu Chung trainers, which were also produced by the Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) in the 1980s.
But there’s one major issue: the neighbors aren’t pleased—far from it.
The T-5’s more powerful engine generates significantly more noise than the older AT-3, leading to a noticeable spike in decibel levels that has residents raising concerns.
ABOVE:
AT-3 has 2 × Honeywell TFE731-2 turbofan engines, 15.6 kN (3,500 lbf) thrust each
AJT has 2 × Honeywell/ITEC F124-200TW turbofan engines, 27.8 kN (6,250 lbf) thrust each.
Engines are, unsurprisingly, at the heart of the issue. The new AJT was specifically designed to prepare pilots for the incoming F-16V fighter jets, which are expected to be delivered soon.
Beyond replacing the aging AT-3 trainers, the AJT is also intended to take over the role of the retired F-5 Tiger fighters—a dual mission that demands higher performance and, inevitably, more powerful engines. That increased thrust brings with it a thunderous boom that residents near the base are now protesting.