The Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology yesterday showcased a variety of its inventions, including weapon systems, to be commissioned next year to beef up defense capabilities.
Among those on display at the military’s main research and development unit in Taoyuan was the Thunderbolt-2000 multiple launch rocket system, which is set to be commissioned next year, the Ministry of National Defense said.
The Thunderbolt-2000 is a high-mobility system comprised of a launcher that can be loaded with MK45 rockets that have a range of 45km, said Wu Chi-hsien, a member of the development team.
Photo: CNA
The system, aimed at beefing up Taiwan’s anti-landing operation capabilities, will be used to replace the aging Kung Feng VI rocket system that has been in service for 30 years, the military has said.
The Kung Feng VI rocket system can only launch rockets with a range with 15km, Wu added.
Another invention that will be commissioned was the institute’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system.
“[The UAVs] can conduct surveillance operations day and night,” said Patience Wu (吳培欣), deputy general director of the institute’s aeronautical systems research division.
According to the ministry, the army has taken delivery of 32 such UAVs.
Asked whether the institute will develop UAVs that can be armed, Wu said “we are working toward that direction,” but declined to elaborate further, due to the sensitive nature of the issue.
Also being displayed was the Hsiung Feng III supersonic anti-ship missile, which is described as an “aircraft carrier killer.”
Having been fitted on Taiwan’s naval frigates, the weapon, with a range of 150km, is the third generation of the locally developed missiles, said Chou Sheng-nan, chief engineer of the Hsiung Feng project.
Asked whether the institute is developing a new variant of the Hsiung Feng III that has a longer range, Chou said the idea is under assessment as part of efforts to bolster national defense capabilities.
More than 100 inventions were displayed to showcase the institute’s achievements from joint research projects with private companies on numerous areas, including “green” technologies.
Alain Robert, known as the "French Spider-Man," praised Alex Honnold as exceptionally well-prepared after the US climber completed a free solo ascent of Taipei 101 yesterday. Robert said Honnold's ascent of the 508m-tall skyscraper in just more than one-and-a-half hours without using safety ropes or equipment was a remarkable achievement. "This is my life," he said in an interview conducted in French, adding that he liked the feeling of being "on the edge of danger." The 63-year-old Frenchman climbed Taipei 101 using ropes in December 2004, taking about four hours to reach the top. On a one-to-10 scale of difficulty, Robert said Taipei 101
Nipah virus infection is to be officially listed as a category 5 notifiable infectious disease in Taiwan in March, while clinical treatment guidelines are being formulated, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. With Nipah infections being reported in other countries and considering its relatively high fatality rate, the centers on Jan. 16 announced that it would be listed as a notifiable infectious disease to bolster the nation’s systematic early warning system and increase public awareness, the CDC said. Bangladesh reported four fatal cases last year in separate districts, with three linked to raw date palm sap consumption, CDC Epidemic Intelligence
US climber Alex Honnold left Taiwan this morning a day after completing a free-solo ascent of Taipei 101, a feat that drew cheers from onlookers and gained widespread international attention. Honnold yesterday scaled the 101-story skyscraper without a rope or safety harness. The climb — the highest urban free-solo ascent ever attempted — took just more than 90 minutes and was streamed live on Netflix. It was covered by major international news outlets including CNN, the New York Times, the Guardian and the Wall Street Journal. As Honnold prepared to leave Taiwan today, he attracted a crowd when he and his wife, Sanni,
Taiwanese and US defense groups are collaborating to introduce deployable, semi-autonomous manufacturing systems for drones and components in a boost to the nation’s supply chain resilience. Taiwan’s G-Tech Optroelectronics Corp subsidiary GTOC and the US’ Aerkomm Inc on Friday announced an agreement with fellow US-based Firestorm Lab to adopt the latter’s xCell, a technology featuring 3D printers fitted in 6.1m container units. The systems enable aerial platforms and parts to be produced in high volumes from dispersed nodes capable of rapid redeployment, to minimize the risk of enemy strikes and to meet field requirements, they said. Firestorm chief technology officer Ian Muceus said
RSS