Research and development (R&D) of defense projects conducted by the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology are on the right track, a senior Ministry of National Defense official familiar with the institute said.
The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, made the remarks in response to queries regarding the ministry’s plan to establish a national defense technology division in January next year to oversee the research and development of crucial technologies.
The institute’s projects and recent achievements suggest its continued relevance, alongside the planned “national defense technology division,” the official said.
People at the ministry-affiliated institute view the proposed division as a positive development for national defense and are prepared to coordinate their efforts with those of the planned agency, he said.
The institute has boosted the international standing of the nation’s defense industry through its participation in international aerospace and defense exhibits, such as the Paris Air Show, the Bahrain International Airshow and the Japan Aerospace International Exhibition, the official said.
The institute has at least 13 military projects this year that had budgets of more than NT$1 billion (US$31.6 million) each, the official said.
Three of the projects — active phased array radars for anti-aircraft defense systems, Tien Chien II air-to-air missiles and laser rangefinder modules — are expected to be completed by the end of this fiscal year, he said.
The rest are expected to be completed on schedule, the official added.
The projects include the mass production of Tien Kung III surface-to-air missiles; the development of Hsiung Feng II E cruise missiles; 30mm chaingun-armed turrets for armored vehicles; subsystem upgrades for Kang Ding-class frigates; and life-extension for Hsiung Feng II missiles, he said.
The institute is also reaching its fiscal goals, with service income expected to reach NT$28.4 billion in fiscal 2016, an increase of 27 percent from fiscal 2015 and exceeding its growth target by NT$6 billion, the official said.
The increase in the volume of work justifies an increase in the institute’s personnel, the official said, adding that the institute is expected have 9,109 employees by the end of this fiscal year, up 955 from last year.
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