The Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC), previously known as the Aero Industry Development Center, was founded in 1969 under the authority of the Republic of China Air Force, and was later transferred to the Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (CSIST) in 1983.
In 1996 in support of national aerospace development objectives, AIDC was reformed from a military establishment into a government-owned company under the authority of the Ministry of Economic Affairs. As a market-oriented and successful commercial entity, AIDC worked in tandem towards commercialization, privatization and globalization. Pursuant to the new company objectives, AIDC's business strategy turned from products and services which were previously solely for military applications into a well-balanced diversified mix of both military and commercial of products and services.
Given the highly competitive and technologically demanding nature of the aerospace industry, AIDC developed and proposed its privatization plan to the Government in early 2013. After a comprehensive review and due diligence process by related authorities, the Executive Yuan approved AIDC’s privatization plan on September 13th of the same year. AIDC successfully consummated its privatization objectives through a public stock offering and was officially listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange on August 25th, 2014.
In confronting the ever-increasing competitiveness in the global markets, AIDC, in a joint effort with the domestic material suppliers, equipment providers, manufacturers, logistic services, banking industry, as well as the academia, hosted a rally creating the Taiwan A-Team 4.0 Alliance on June 2nd, 2016. The objective of the alliance aims at establishing itself as a global Tier 1 supplier by uplifting group competitiveness through Lean efforts; and by integration of related industries.
Staunch Government support over the past several decades has enabled AIDC to acquire and maintain a talented human resource base dedicated to the aviation industry which has well-equipped AIDC with the expertise and capability in aircraft system integration, aircraft development, parts manufacturing, aircraft assembly, testing and verification. As result AIDC's continues its excellent achievements and has outstripped its competitors in the Asia-Pacific region. In doing so it has earned itself well deserved recognition and acceptance from the global aerospace community as a valuable supplier.
AIDC envisions the Asia-Pacific region will play an increasingly vital role in the international aerospace markets in the foreseeable future, and that Taiwan will increasingly establish itself as a valued partner for international aerospace companies. To assure AIDC's participation and to satisfy Taiwan's self-reliant defense needs, AIDC is actively pursuing development and expansion of local industry capability and capacity to achieve these critical objectives.
In compliance with the government's policy of "domestic production of jet trainer", the National Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) signed a commission agreement with AIDC on April 25, 2017 for the production of 66 Advanced Jet Trainers, with which domestic outsourcing and industry assistance program was launched, and through which recruitment of engineering talent was initiated for cultivation of talents for Taiwan's domestic aerospace industry.
The Advanced Jet Trainer was rolled out and had its naming ceremony on September 24, 2019. Less than a year in June 2020 the aircraft successfully made its first demonstration flight. On March 2, 2021, AIDC Chairman Moudy Hu, once an Air force wing commander of tactical fighter wing, co-rode a test flight of the AJT to verify its performance personally. By the end of that year on November 29 the first mass production AJT (tail-number 1101) accomplished its delivery by flying to Tai-tung Air Base, with AIDC professional crew expecting on-site to support future services and maintenance for the fleet.
On the other hand, AIDC signed a strategic alliance MOU with Lockheed Martin in December 2019, and the following year in August President Tsai, Ing-wen came to AIDC to officiate the establishment of the F-16 Maintenance & Support Center. These efforts are aiming toward fulfilling the government's policy of realizing a self-sustaining national defense.
Through the transition of privatization, AIDC is well positioned to support and foster Taiwan's national aerospace development policies. In addition to it's core strengths and competencies, AIDC has effectively consolidated its industrial capabilities and has reinforced alliances with its valued partners both domestic and foreign to maximize use of existing resources to effectively meet or exceed ever increasing customer demands in Quality, Performance and Price.
In parallel to the above, AIDC has also significantly increased the level of growth through its active, optimistic, honest and open business culture instilled in the work ethics of each business segment of the company's operations. AIDC remains proud in its commitment to its valued; Customers, Stock Holders, Supply Chain partners, Employees and Communities which our facilities are located and we stand firmly behind all our products which are Proudly made in Taiwan.