Missile test deemed sucessful

The army yesterday launched the first-ever open test of the domestically-built Tien Kung-II surface-to-air missile at a top-security missile test site in Pingtung.

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) showed up in person to witness the missile test, which he afterwards praised as a success.

The missile test, launched as part of the Hankuang No. 18 exercise, was the largest of its kind in recent years.

The Tien Kung-II was not the only missile to be launched at the test held in Pingtung's Chiupeng missile test site. Three US-made Hawk anti-aircraft missiles were tested. All four missiles hit the target drones they were aimed at, a result which, the army said, greatly boosted the morale of its missile troops.

The Tien Kung-II missile test was significant not only because the missile was openly launched for the first time but also because it showed that the army's missile troops were able to engage multiple targets at the same time with a combined use of both Hawk and Tien Kung-II missiles.

The Tien Kung-II, which is said to have a range of 150km, was also proven to be able to engage and destroy a target at a long distance from its base.

The target drone that was tracked by the Tien Kung-II in the test was estimated to be hit over 60km away from the site of the missile's launch.

Meanwhile, the Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology (CSIST), the developer of the Tien Kung-II missile, demonstrated in the missile test that it had successfully built a link between the Hawk and Tien Kung-II missile systems to enable them to use the same radar system.

Retired marine Colonel Sung Chao-wen (宋兆文), who was invited by the Ministry of National Defense (MND) to view the missile test, said the test seemed to be promoting the Tien Kung-II missile system to other branches of the military, especially the navy.

Naval officials were at the site yesterday to witness the test.

"The Tien Kung-II is a vertically launched system. It is currently land-based, but can also become sea-based. If the navy is interested, the CSIST should be able to provide it with the package it wants," Sung said.

"If the Tien Kung-II is to be deployed on warships, it is best to be placed on Knox-class frigates," he said.

Sung believed that the main reason for the tests being made public was to show the successful development of systems to make the Tien Kung-II missile system compatible with a much smaller radar, rather than just the giant Chang Bai radar.

It is not known at the moment whether the navy wants the CSIST to build a sea-based Tien Kung-II system for it, but yesterday's missile test did open up such a possibility.