Timeline: 1999 - 2000

Summary:

Notable in this year's arms purchases are Chinese orders that indicate an attempt to outfit a blue-water navy. The procurement of Russian Sovremenny class destroyers as well as domestic orders for the Shenzhen class destroyer and the Jiangwei-II class frigate are just such attempts. Taiwan also beefed up its surface fleet with purchases of American destroyers and license-built frigates. Also notable is China's attempt to procure an Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft by Israeli conversion. Efforts to modernize the Chinese airforce by purchasing Russian fighter/ground attack aircraft is answered by Taiwanese purchase of American and French jets. Of note also is the Singaporean purchase of three submarines from Sweden. Together with Malaysia's purchase of ASW helicopters from the UK, it may indicate the starting of what may be perceived as a purchasing boom of submarine and anti-submarine warfare equipment.