TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — There are no plans to decommission Mirage 2000 jets as they reach middle age, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said Tuesday (June 13).

Recent reports mentioned the high cost of replacement parts and maintenance as a factor making the Air Force reconsider its use of the jets. Taiwan bought 60 Mirages from France in 1992, but has lost six of the aircraft to accidents.

The MND said Tuesday the fighter jets’ reliability still corresponds to required standards, per UDN. The use of weapons systems was based on considerations including enemy threats, defense needs, and general defense planning, an MND spokesperson told reporters.

The current acquisition of 66 F-16V Block 70 jets and the condition of the Mirage jets have already played a part in Air Force planning, which means that at present, there are no problems with the country’s air defenses, the MND said. The Mirage jets form the backbone of Taiwan’s Air Force, together with the Indigenous Defense Fighter (IDF), the F-16 Block 20, and the F-16V Block 70 jets.

The MND rejected other media reports saying that pilots were not allowed to take phones with them during flights, per CNA. They were allowed to take their phone along for the flight, but had to switch it off before takeoff, the spokesperson said.