Nine hundred core technology items added over the past two decades have enabled the military to deal effectively with threats from enemy submarines and stealth fighters, as well as a possible threat from aircraft carriers, the Ministry of National Defense said.
The statement is a part of a report by the ministry scheduled to be delivered to the Legislative Yuan today, in which the ministry intends to brief the legislature about the self-sustainability of national defense research and technology.
In the report, the ministry defines the US’ suggestion that it forms a force capable of innovation and asymmetric warfare as the establishment of a military force “capable of achieving decisive effects from attacking critical areas of the enemy’s military apparatus.”
Sources said that among the military’s arsenal of asymmetric weaponry are the Hsiung Feng II-E missile, mid-range surface-to-surface missiles, the long-range air-to-surface Wan Chien cluster-munitions missile and the Tien Chien II air-launched anti-radiation missile.
Anti-radiation missiles (ARM) are missiles designed to detect and home in on an enemy radio-emission source, serving the purpose of taking out enemy radars or jamming communications. Cluster munitions are bombs dropped from airplanes that release smaller explosive sub-munitions prior to detonation.
In terms of missile electronic systems, the ministry’s report says it is focusing on advanced subjective and passive radar, and infrared detection and tracking systems, as well as mid and close-range anti-missile weaponry, including mobile anti-air missile platforms.
The mid-range anti-missile weaponry mentioned in the report is suspected to be the Tien Kung III surface-to-air missile, which reportedly is capable of intercepting tactical ballistic missiles. The ministry is to start producing Tien Kung III missiles soon.
In terms of Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) weaponry systems, the ministry is expected to say for the first time ever that is capable of delivering EMP protection and analysis.
It is also expected to give an indication of its capability to launch anti-radiation missiles, use remote-controlled precision weaponry, and deploy mine fabricating and implementation technologies.
Though technological advances to counter China’s People’s Liberation Army’s submarines, aircraft carriers and stealth aircraft were mentioned, the report did not describe specific weapon systems.
Those familiar with the national defense industry deem the Hsiung Feng III supersonic anti-ship missiles, the Wan Hsiang mines, underwater detectors and electronic scanning equipment which is capable of detecting stealth fighters such as China’s Chengdu J-20 as possible candidates.
The ministry also says that it has infrared searching capability and can develop weaponry affixed to missile heads, which enables it to pursue research on items such as unmanned aerial vehicles and multiple rocket-launching systems.
The ministry also said the technologies allowed it to use more of the Hsiung Feng-class missiles on warships, as well as allowing it to update warships’ battle module systems.
Starlux Airlines, Taiwan’s newest international carrier, has announced it would apply to join the Oneworld global airline alliance before the end of next year. In an investor conference on Monday, Starlux Airlines chief executive officer Glenn Chai (翟健華) said joining the alliance would help it access Taiwan. Chai said that if accepted, Starlux would work with other airlines in the alliance on flight schedules, passenger transits and frequent flyer programs. The Oneworld alliance has 13 members, including American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas, and serves more than 900 destinations in 170 territories. Joining Oneworld would also help boost
A new tropical storm formed late yesterday near Guam and is to approach closest to Taiwan on Thursday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Tropical Storm Pulasan became the 14th named storm of the year at 9:25pm yesterday, the agency said. As of 8am today, it was near Guam traveling northwest at 21kph, it said. The storm’s structure is relatively loose and conditions for strengthening are limited, WeatherRisk analyst Wu Sheng-yu (吳聖宇) said on Facebook. Its path is likely to be similar to Typhoon Bebinca, which passed north of Taiwan over Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and made landfall in Shanghai this morning, he said. However, it
Taiwan's Gold Apollo Co (金阿波羅通信) said today that the pagers used in detonations in Lebanon the day before were not made by it, but by a company called BAC which has a license to use its brand. At least nine people were killed and nearly 3,000 wounded when pagers used by Hezbollah members detonated simultaneously across Lebanon yesterday. Images of destroyed pagers analyzed by Reuters showed a format and stickers on the back that were consistent with pagers made by Gold Apollo. A senior Lebanese security source told Reuters that Hezbollah had ordered 5,000 pagers from Taiwan-based Gold Apollo. "The product was not
COLD FACTS: ‘Snow skin’ mooncakes, made with a glutinous rice skin and kept at a low temperature, have relatively few calories compared with other mooncakes Traditional mooncakes are a typical treat for many Taiwanese in the lead-up to the Mid-Autumn Festival, but a Taipei-based dietitian has urged people not to eat more than one per day and not to have them every day due to their high fat and calorie content. As mooncakes contain a lot of oil and sugar, they can have negative health effects on older people and those with diabetes, said Lai Yu-han (賴俞含), a dietitian at Taipei Hospital of the Ministry of Health and Welfare. “The maximum you can have is one mooncake a day, and do not eat them every day,” Lai