Under pressure from the US, the Ministry of National Defense has agreed to buy the newly developed Patriot PAC-3, although it is still unsure of the full anti-ballistic missile capabilities of the new system, defense sources said yesterday.
Deputy Minister of National Defense for Armament General Chen Chao-ming (陳肇敏) made the promise on behalf of the ministry in the middle of last month as he visited the US to attend this year's US-Taiwan defense industry conference. The conference was organized by the US-Taiwan Business Council.
Chen agreed to the deal as he met with his US counterparts during the two-day conference held in San Antonio, Texas, sources said.
However, no formal agreement was signed between the two sides concerning the PAC-3 at that time.
Chen's spoken promise, although not considered legally binding, represents the ministry's first acceptance of a deal to acquire the missile defense system.
The US approved the sale several years ago and has strongly recommended the PAC-3 system to Taipei for use in defending against ballistic missile threats from China.
The ministry's hesitation to buy the PAC-3 aroused serious concerns from the US, since the US considers the system an integral item for this country's self-defense. Another weapons system categorized as vital is a long-range early warning radar.
The ministry's explanation for the delay in procurement was that the PAC-3 is still under development and has not shown proven reliability through repeated testing.
Another reason for the delay is the lack of funds.
The military plans to buy a total of six batteries of the PAC-3, each of which include launchers, missile interceptors, and command facilities.
The deal is reported to cost over NT$100 billion, a figure yet to be confirmed by the ministry.
A defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that although Chen had promised the US that the military will buy the PAC-3, there are still a lot of variables involved.
"The MND has yet to overcome a number of problems. It must first get enough money to make the purchase.
But the budget for this deal is not likely to be ready very soon," the official said.
Aside from the PAC-3, a long-range early warning radar system has become another focus of attention for the military.
Before deciding to buy an early warning radar, the military spent considerable time assessing the need for such a system.
Compared to the PAC-3, the early warning radar system costs much less -- around NT$28 billion -- and yet the military did not rush the decision to buy the system. The PAC-3 and early warning radar are complementary components for the provision of missile defenses.
The six batteries of the PAC-3 system that the military is to buy are slated for deployment in the central and southern parts of Taiwan, while the PAC-2 Plus, which has already been bought and positioned in greater Taipei, is to be upgraded for the purpose of defending against saturation ballistic missile attacks.
The Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) should not use the government’s disease-prevention policy as an excuse to block people’s access to the Taipei Railway Station’s main hall, the Taiwan International Workers’ Association said yesterday. The association held a protest at the station after what organizers said were about 400 people staged a sit-in on Saturday to demonstrate against the TRA’s proposal to ban sitting on the floor of the main hall. In accordance with the Central Epidemic Command Center’s disease-prevention measures, large gatherings have been banned in the hall since the end of February. After protesters yesterday expressed their grievances at the southern
SEEKING OPTIONS: A Sinyi Realty corporate realty official attributed the spike to proposed legal changes in the territory and the ongoing pro-democracy protests More Hong Kongers purchased real estate in Taiwan last year than other foreigners, Ministry of the Interior statistics showed. The ministry attributed the spike to a proposed extradition law that the Hong Kong government submitted last year, which would have allowed suspects to be sent to China and other nations, which sparked mass protests that are continuing. The rate of purchases last year by Hong Kong natural and juridical persons stood at 40 and 60 percent respectively, with building area purchased by both standing at 47.41 percent and 52.59 percent respectively, ministry data showed. Department of Land Administration statistics showed that Hong Kongers
ZERO TOLERANCE: National Police Agency Director-General Chen Ja-chin said that he ordered Kaohsiung police to investigate reports of planned voter intimidation Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) spokeswoman Yen Juo-fang (顏若芳) yesterday denounced the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) for asking people not to vote in a recall poll against Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜), while National Police Agency Director-General Chen Ja-chin (陳家欽) called on police to follow up on reports that gangsters are planning to intimidate voters. Yen said that in an effort to save Han, the KMT has mobilized all of its members, who have increasingly tried to prevent Kaohsiung residents from exercising their right to vote in the poll on Saturday next week. She called on Kaohsiung residents to have the courage
Taipei is to reopen public facilities starting on Monday next week under three conditions, and allow indoor and outdoor events with fewer than 250 and 1,000 people respectively, Taipei Deputy Mayor Vivian Huang (黃珊珊) yesterday. The three conditions are practicing social distancing measures or wearing a mask if the proper distance cannot be kept, enforcing a real-name registration system for indoor activities and prohibiting meal sharing, Huang said. All municipal facilities would resume operations under those principles, with the exception of school campuses, she said. School campuses at high-school level and below would remain closed to the public to protect student health, but
RSS