A military spokesman yesterday refused to comment on media reports alleging that two advanced anti-missile systems — the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) and Tien Kung-III “Sky Bow” (TK-III) air defense systems — had been deployed in eastern Taiwan to deal with the possible launch of a North Korean rocket later this month.
Ministry of National Defense spokesperson David Lo (羅紹和) said the military was collecting information about Pyongyang’s anticipated rocket launch and added that the military had requested its anti-missile units monitor and respond to the situation as appropriate.
However, Lo refused to comment on whether PAC-3 missiles and TK-III firing units were deployed in the east to meet that contingency.
“Military deployments are confidential, so the military does not comment on such matters,” he said.
Asked during a recent legislative meeting to comment on the plans by the military to deal with the North Korean launch, Minister of National Defense Kao Hua-chu (高華柱) had said that “if Japan’s PAC-3 was able to intercept the satellite debris, our PAC-3 could surely intercept it too.”
Pyongyang has said it will launch a satellite into orbit between April 12 and April 16 to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of founding North Korean leader Kim Il-sung, saying the launch was for peaceful purposes. The US, Japan and other countries suspect it is a disguised missile test.
Japan’s military has said its surface-to-air missiles would be deployed on Okinawa, underneath the rocket’s forecast flight path, and in central Tokyo, adding that Aegis destroyers equipped with missile defense systems will also be deployed near Okinawa.
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REPORT: Taipei has expressed an interest in obtaining loitering munitions matching the AeroVironment Switchblade 300 or the Anduril Altius-600, ‘Foreign Policy’ said Taiwan is seeking US-made kamikaze drones in an apparent concession to pressure from Washington to focus on asymmetric capabilities to defeat or deter a Chinese attack, Foreign Policy said in a report on Wednesday. Taipei has expressed an interest in obtaining AeroVironment Switchblade loitering munitions or other devices with similar capabilities, it said, citing four sources familiar with the matter commenting on condition of anonymity. The Switchblade 300 is a tube-launched drone designed for attacking ground troops, while its larger sibling, the Switchblade 600, could be used to destroy tanks and entrenched troops. Ukraine has utilized both systems extensively in its fight against
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STRIKING A BALANCE: A nutritionist said that only 9 percent of respondents were concerned whether they had a sufficient balance of vegetables and fruits Nearly 60 percent of respondents said that they are affected physically and mentally due to lack of a regular breakfast routine, while only 9 percent ate a balanced diet, a Formosa Cancer Foundation survey showed. Thirty percent of respondents do not eat breakfast at home, saying it is more expedient to buy it, said Hsu Kuei-ting (徐桂婷), the foundation’s nutritionist, citing its most recent poll on nutritional intake for people aged 20 to 60. The poll showed that 60 percent believe they do not eat breakfasts that have balanced nutrition. At 62 percent, convenience was the most commonly cited factor in deciding whether