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New explanation given for failure of missile test
WAR:
Lieutenant General Hu Cheng-pu said that a missile fired from a naval frigate hit the target first and that the presence of spy ships was not to blame
By Brian Hsu
STAFF REPORTER
Wednesday, Sep 10, 2003, Page 3
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"The SM-I was supposed to hit another target drone nearer to the frigate, but it sought out another target drone instead, which was intended for the Mica."
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Lieutenant General Hu Cheng-pu
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A military official offered a new explanation yesterday as to why the French-made Mica air-to-air missile in the just-ended Hankuang No. 19 exercise was not fired.
An army general responsible for organizing the military exercise said the missile firing was cancelled because a drone targeted by the Mica was mistakenly shot down first by a missile from naval vessel.
"The target drone was downed by an SM-I air defense missile fired from a Chengkung-class frigate," Lieutenant General Hu Cheng-pu (J咨H), commander of the 6th army corp, said.
"The SM-I was supposed to hit another target drone nearer to the frigate, but it sought out another target drone instead, which was intended for the Mica," he said.
"Although the SM-I did not home in on its intended target during the exercise, it may still be counted as a successful hit," Hu said.
On Sept. 4, as the Hankuang No. 19 exercise took place in Ilan, the military announced during the exercise that the planned firing of a Mica against a target drone was cancelled because spy ships from Japan and China were in the area.
Hu said yesterday that the military had actually detected a spy plane from China and a spy ship from an unidentified country.
Hu vowed that what he said was true and that if he was discovered to be lying to the public, he would step down to take responsibility.
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