The Tiger 2000 prototype was preserved as a static display in AIDC’s Hsiang Yuan (翔園, AIDC Park) earlier this year. This ill-fated program has never really taken off (in the non-aeronautical sense). In the beginning, delays plagued the project and pushed back the date of the first flight. When I saw the prototype in late 2000, it looked far from flyable because the avionics bay was still empty. AIDC later renamed the prototype to Tiger 2001. However, the first flight did not take place until July 24, 2002. Lack of interest from the ROCAF finally sentenced the program to death.
AIDC will open the gate to Hsiang Yuan to the public in June. Visitors will be able to see this one-of-a-kind aircraft then.
The marking of the preserved prototype is slightly different from the marking applied when the program was still alive. To see photos taken during its first flight, visit http://fcuaa.fcu.edu.tw/~d8741744/tiger2000.html
Interesting, never heard of that program.
What modifications to the Tiger did it include ?
In a sense, the Tiger 2000 is an “IDF-ied” F-5E with the GD-53 radar, MFD and HOTAS control in the cockpit, and the capability to fire the single TC-2 missile carried on the centerline pylon.