TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Nine two-seat Mirage fighter jets might see their life span extended by 20 years, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said Tuesday (Aug. 1).

Taiwan bought 60 Mirages from France in 1992 and commissioned them in 1997. As the planes reached middle age, the military was facing a dilemma of whether to decommission them or find other solutions.

The MND had asked the original manufacturer, Dassault Aviation, to evaluate the possibility of extending the life of nine two-seat Mirage 2000-5 jets, per CNA. The two-seat models have seen more wear and tear due to frequent usage than the single-seat versions, according to the military.

Due to the higher cost of replacement parts and of maintenance compared to the Air Force’s F-16 jets and Indigenous Defense Fighters (IDF), there has been repeated speculation that the Mirages might be retired. The evaluation by Dassault should be completed in July 2026, with the nine planes still able to serve an additional 20 years, the MND said.

The Mirage jets are based at the Hsinchu Air Base, where they are responsible for protecting the northern part of Taiwan.