Advanced weapons systems including the Hsiung Feng II-E (HF-2E) cruise missile and anti-ship missiles will be on display during this year’s Double Ten National Day ceremonies to mark the Republic of China’s 100th anniversary, newspapers reported over the weekend.
This would be the first time the HF-2Es are shown in public, the reports said.
MODEL
The HF-2E, which has a range of about 600km and was developed by the Chung-Shan Institute for Science and Technology, has not officially entered military service. It is intended for launch from both land and sea and would be capable of striking airports and missile bases in southeastern China, as well as locations such as Shanghai and Hong Kong.
Locally made HF-2 ship-to-ship missiles and PAC-3 missile defense batteries will also be featured in the parade in front of the Presidential Office, the reports said.
Ministry of National Defense spokesman Lo Shao-ho (羅紹和) on Saturday did not confirm the reports, saying those were only proposals that needed to be discussed by a task force in charge of the program for the Double Ten National Day ceremonies.
FLYBY
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lin Yu-fang (林郁方) told a legislative meeting last week that the air force should also have a flyby above the Presidential Office involving F-16s, Mirages and Ching Kuo Indigenous Defence Fighters (IDF) during the parade.
He said the latest weapons systems, including locally built multiple-rocket launchers and joint standoff precision-strike weapons, should also be on display during the ceremonies.
Lo said a decision on a flyby also needed to be discussed.
The Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper) also reported on the weekend that Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平), who is the director of a task force overseeing the programs for the National Day ceremonies, supported the idea of a flyby and would propose it to President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) this week.
DOWNPLAY
Flybys and military parades have traditionally been part of the Double Ten celebrations. Celebrations were canceled in 2009 following the devastation caused by Typhoon Morakot in the south, which killed hundreds of people. Since coming into office in 2008, the Ma administration has also sought to downplay the military aspect of Double Ten National Day celebrations amid efforts to foster closer relations with China.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY STAFF WRITER
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