A new presidential security vehicle is expected to be delivered in October, a senior National Security Bureau official said on Saturday.
The Audi A8 L Security Sedan comes with a VR9 armor package, meaning that it protects occupants from rifle bullets up to 7.62x51mm and hand grenades, the official said.
The car is fitted with an emergency breathing supply in case of airborne chemical or biological attack, a self-sealing gas tank and an automatic fire suppression system, the official said.
Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei Times
The protection offered by the new vehicle is an improvement on that of vehicles in the bureau-operated fleet, the official said, adding that it cost about NT$24 million (US$794,176).
The vehicle resembles other Audis in the presidential motorcade to enhance security and secrecy, the official said.
Some of the presidential motorcade vehicles are older and the manufacturer no longer recommends upgrades, while others have VR7 armor, which ofers protection against rifle fire, but not explosives, the official said.
In light of emerging threats, the bureau does not believe the fleet meets the Presidential Office’s security needs, the official said.
The new vehicle uses a combination of steel, ceramics and aramid fiber in its armor and is assembled using handmade parts at a secure facility, contributing to its cost, they said.
The vehicle was not bought using the presidential car budget, sparking controversy.
Security vehicle procurement plans would be improved to reflect lawmakers’ concerns and submitted one to two years before an order is placed, the official said.
SHIPS, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES: The ministry has announced changes to varied transportation industries taking effect soon, with a number of effects for passengers Beginning next month, the post office is canceling signature upon delivery and written inquiry services for international registered small packets in accordance with the new policy of the Universal Postal Union, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday. The new policy does not apply to packets that are to be delivered to China, the ministry said. Senders of international registered small packets would receive a NT$10 rebate on postage if the packets are sent from Jan. 1 to March 31, it added. The ministry said that three other policies are also scheduled to take effect next month. International cruise ship operators
HORROR STORIES: One victim recounted not realizing they had been stabbed and seeing people bleeding, while another recalled breaking down in tears after fleeing A man on Friday died after he tried to fight the knife-wielding suspect who went on a stabbing spree near two of Taipei’s busiest metro stations, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. The 57-year-old man, identified by his family name, Yu (余), encountered the suspect at Exit M7 of Taipei Main Station and immediately tried to stop him, but was fatally wounded and later died, Chiang said, calling the incident “heartbreaking.” Yu’s family would receive at least NT$5 million (US$158,584) in compensation through the Taipei Rapid Transit Corp’s (TRTC) insurance coverage, he said after convening an emergency security response meeting yesterday morning. National
PLANNED: The suspect visited the crime scene before the killings, seeking information on how to access the roof, and had extensively researched a 2014 stabbing incident The suspect in a stabbing attack that killed three people and injured 11 in Taipei on Friday had planned the assault and set fires at other locations earlier in the day, law enforcement officials said yesterday. National Police Agency (NPA) Director-General Chang Jung-hsin (張榮興) said the suspect, a 27-year-old man named Chang Wen (張文), began the attacks at 3:40pm, first setting off smoke bombs on a road, damaging cars and motorbikes. Earlier, Chang Wen set fire to a rental room where he was staying on Gongyuan Road in Zhongzheng District (中正), Chang Jung-hsin said. The suspect later threw smoke grenades near two exits
The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency yesterday launched a gift box to market honey “certified by a Formosan black bear” in appreciation of a beekeeper’s amicable interaction with a honey-thieving bear. Beekeeper Chih Ming-chen (池明鎮) in January inspected his bee farm in Hualien County’s Jhuosi Township (卓溪) and found that more than 20 beehives had been destroyed and many hives were eaten, with bear droppings and paw prints near the destroyed hives, the agency said. Chih returned to the farm to move the remaining beehives away that evening when he encountered a Formosan black bear only 20m away, the agency said. The bear
RSS