TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense (MND) and France’s Dassault have signed a technical support service agreement valued at NT$790.96 million (US$28.45 million) for work on Mirage 2000 jets, reports said Saturday (Sept. 18).

Taiwan bought 60 of the fighters in 1992, along with 480 MICA medium-range missiles and 960 Magic 2 short-range missiles. Dassault will send French technicians to Hsinchu Air Force Base to help with maintenance on the jets, the Liberty Times reported.

The contract, signed by an MND procurement representative in Europe on Sept. 13, will remain valid until Sept. 13, 2026. The document is only the latest in a series of agreements designed to keep the Mirage jets and the missiles up to date, as they have been stationed in Hsinchu for 24 years.

Work on the missiles has also been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Liberty Times reports, previous agreements focused on the supply of goods, while the latest accord provides for technical experts staying in Hsinchu to work on the Mirages' issues.