Looking at its requirements, the air force determined it needed a lightweight defensive interceptor with rapid climb similar to the F-16 to go up against the PLA F-8 Ⅱ or newer versions yet to come.
然而，要達到保持台海空優目的，IDF 應是那一種戰機？以空軍的需求來看，應是一種類似 F-16 輕型快速爬升的防禦性攔截機；因為它的假想敵，正是中共的殲八乙型或正在研發的新殲型戰機。