The US will upgrade the Taiwan Air Force’s E-2T early warning aircraft to help reduce warning time in the wake of an air attack on the island.

According to media reports, it is expected that the US will upgrade four aircraft to the Hawkeye 2000 configuration.

The upgrade is part of a $6.5bn US foreign arms sale agreed with Taiwan in 2008, and also includes advanced interceptor Patriot missiles, Apache attack helicopters and submarine-launched missiles.

The modernised aircraft are scheduled to be delivered before the end of 2011, as reported by Agence France Presse.