Taiwan expects a much-anticipated missile defense shield to be ready next year after buying advanced weapons at a cost of about NT$300 billion (US$9.4 billion), local media reported yesterday.
Six batteries of Patriot III missiles forming the backbone of the system will account for roughly half the cost associated with the project, the China Times newspaper said.
A long-range early warning radar system, priced at about NT$40 billion, will allow the military to detect and track incoming ballistic missiles and cruise missiles, it said.
While the Patriot III and radars are US-made, the system will also include locally produced tactical ballistic missiles evolved from existing missiles known as “Tien Kung,” or Sky Bow, the paper said.
The Ministry of National Defense declined to comment on the report.
Military experts estimate the People’s Liberation Army currently has more than 1,600 missiles aimed at Taiwan.
Meanwhile, the state-controlled Chinese press yesterday said China needs a “carrier-killer” missile deterrent as a counterbalance to US naval supremacy in the Pacific.
“China undoubtedly needs to build a highly credible anti-carrier capability,” the Global Times said in an editorial.
“Not only does China need an anti-ship ballistic missile, but also other carrier-killing measures,” said the paper, which is published by the People’s Daily, the print mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party. “Since US aircraft carrier battle groups in the Pacific constitute deterrence against China’s strategic interests, China has to possess the capacity to counterbalance.”
US military analysts have said that China is developing a new version of its Dongfeng 21 missile that could pierce the defenses of even the most sturdy US naval vessels and has a range of 20,000km — far beyond Chinese waters.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it expected to issue a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-Wong tomorrow, which it said would possibly make landfall near central Taiwan. As of 2am yesterday, Fung-Wong was about 1,760km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving west-northwest at 26kph. It is forecast to reach Luzon in the northern Philippines by tomorrow, the CWA said. After entering the South China Sea, Typhoon Fung-Wong is likely to turn northward toward Taiwan, CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張峻堯) said, adding that it would likely make landfall near central Taiwan. The CWA expects to issue a land
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it is expected to issue a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-wong this afternoon and a land warning tomorrow. As of 1pm, the storm was about 1,070km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, and was moving west-northwest at 28 to 32kph, according to CWA data. The storm had a radius of 250km, with maximum sustained winds of 173kph and gusts reaching 209kph, the CWA added. The storm is forecast to pass near Luzon in the Philippines before entering the South China Sea and potentially turning northward toward Taiwan, the CWA said. CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張峻堯) said
PREPARATION: Ferry lines and flights were canceled ahead of only the second storm to hit the nation in November, while many areas canceled classes and work Authorities yesterday evacuated more than 3,000 people ahead of approaching Tropical Storm Fung-wong, which is expected to make landfall between Kaohsiung and Pingtung County this evening. Fung-wong was yesterday morning downgraded from a typhoon to a tropical storm as it approached the nation’s southwest coast, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, as it issued a land alert for the storm. The alert applies to residents in Tainan, Kaohsiung, Pingtung and Taitung counties, and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春). As of press time last night, Taichung, Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Yilan, Miaoli, Changhua, Yunlin, Pingtung and Penghu counties, as well as Chiayi city and county had
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday issued a sea alert for Typhoon Fung-wong (鳳凰) as it threatened vessels operating in waters off the Pratas Islands (Dongsha Islands, 東沙群島), the Bashi Channel and south of the Taiwan Strait. A land alert is expected to be announced some time between late last night and early this morning, the CWA said. As of press time last night, Taoyuan, as well as Yilan, Hualien and Penghu counties had declared today a typhoon day, canceling work and classes. Except for a few select districts in Taipei and New Taipei City, all other areas and city
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