An extended-range version of the Tien Chien II “Sky Sword” air-to-air missile has undergone successful testing and is to arm the air force’s Indigenous Defense Fighter jets, a defense official said on condition of anonymity.
Tien Chien II, or TC-2, was originally developed as a family of air-to-air missiles that could be launched from army, navy and air force platforms.
The new TC-2C missiles have an extended effective range of 100km, up from 60km, as well as increased precision, the official said, adding that the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology performed the tests.
Photo: Yu Tai-lang, Taipei Times
The Indigenous Defense Fighter jets, which equip two air force tactical fighter wings, have undergone fleetwide improvements that increased their weapons load from two to four Tien Chien II missiles, the official said, adding that carrying four TC-2C missiles significantly increases the firepower of the jets.
The Chungshan Institute is also developing the TC-2N, a dedicated naval version of the Tien Chien II missile that could be fired from warships’ vertical launch systems or other systems, the official said.
The TC-2N is the planned successor for the MIM-72 Chaparral missiles that the navy’s La Fayette-class frigates are equipped with, the official said.
The navy would begin replacing the missiles from 2020, Navy Chief of Staff Lee Tsung-hsiao (李宗孝) last week told the Legislative Yuan’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee.
The TC-2N would be a vast improvement on the obsolete and short-range MIM-72, sources said.
The Chungshan Institute has been improving the performance of all Tien Chien II missile variants, the official said, adding that the air force and navy were happy with the new missile prototypes, but the army has not shown interest.
Chinese-language Up Media yesterday said that the Ministry of National Defense is soon to declare the extended-range variant of Hsiung Feng IIE (HF-2E) cruise missiles ready for mass production.
The HF-2E extended-range surface-to--surface cruise missile has an effective range that exceeds 1,000km, compared with 600km for the older HF-2E.
The weapon was successfully tested for deployment in 2008, and its performance and range have been improved since then, the Web site said.
The ministry is considering three proposals to field and integrate the HF-2E extended-range missiles, and is to submit a brief to President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) for her consideration before initiating mass production, it said.
The first proposal would see the existing 240 HF-2E missiles upgraded to the current standard, Up Media said, adding that officials consider this to be the quickest way to upgrade the missile arsenal.
The second proposal would see the navy field a mixture of the older HF-2E and the extended range variant, it said, adding the third proposal is to increase the overall number of HF-2E missiles in the military’s arsenal, a plan that could be implemented in conjunction with the above two.
Tsai would choose from the options after the ministry submits its brief, it said.
One of two tropical depressions that formed off Taiwan yesterday morning could turn into a moderate typhoon by the weekend, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Tropical Depression No. 21 formed at 8am about 1,850km off the southeast coast, CWA forecaster Lee Meng-hsuan (李孟軒) said. The weather system is expected to move northwest as it builds momentum, possibly intensifying this weekend into a typhoon, which would be called Mitag, Lee said. The radius of the storm is expected to reach almost 200km, she said. It is forecast to approach the southeast of Taiwan on Monday next week and pass through the Bashi Channel
The number of Chinese spouses applying for dependent residency as well as long-term residency in Taiwan has decreased, the Mainland Affairs Council said yesterday, adding that the reduction of Chinese spouses staying or living in Taiwan is only one facet reflecting the general decrease in the number of people willing to get married in Taiwan. The number of Chinese spouses applying for dependent residency last year was 7,123, down by 2,931, or 29.15 percent, from the previous year. The same census showed that the number of Chinese spouses applying for long-term residency and receiving approval last year stood at 2,973, down 1,520,
EASING ANXIETY: The new guide includes a section encouraging people to discuss the threat of war with their children and teach them how to recognize disinformation The Ministry of National Defense’s All-Out Defense Mobilization Agency yesterday released its updated civil defense handbook, which defines the types of potential military aggression by an “enemy state” and self-protection tips in such scenarios. The agency has released three editions of the handbook since 2022, covering information from the preparation of go-bags to survival tips during natural disasters and war. Compared with the previous edition, released in 2023, the latest version has a clearer focus on wartime scenarios. It includes a section outlining six types of potential military threats Taiwan could face, including destruction of critical infrastructure and most undersea cables, resulting in
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said that it expected to issue a sea warning for Typhoon Ragasa this morning and a land warning at night as it approached Taiwan. Ragasa intensified from a tropical storm into a typhoon at 8am yesterday, the CWA said, adding that at 2pm, it was about 1,110km east-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip. The typhoon was moving northwest at 13kph, with sustained winds of up to 119kph and gusts reaching 155kph, the CWA Web site showed. Forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said that Ragasa was projected to strengthen as it neared the Bashi Channel, with its 200km
RSS