The Ministry of National Defense yesterday released a video of missile tests conducted in southern Taiwan, demonstrating its surface-to-air, air-to-ship, ship-to-ship and air-to-surface capabilities, after China concluded a military drill near the Taiwan Strait.
The goals of active defense and multi-layer deterrence were achieved in a live-fire drill at Jioupeng Military Base in Pingtung County on Monday and Tuesday, the ministry said in a statement.
Twelve missile types were tested, with 117 launched, achieving a 98 percent accuracy rate, it said.
Photo courtesy of the Ministry of National Defense
The video showed the launch of Sky Bow air-defense missiles, HAGM-84 Harpoons, MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air missiles and Sky Sword II air-to-air missiles.
The firepower of the projectiles was demonstrated as they hit and destroyed target ships in a 68-second video.
The tests proved that the Republic of China Armed Forces are well-trained and have reliable capabilities, Minister of National Defense Yen De-fa (嚴德發) said in the statement.
The tests were conducted amid increased military activity by China, the most recent being simultaneous exercises near the islands of Zhoushan and Dongshan from Sunday to Thursday. The two archipelagos, with Zhoushan 400km north of Taiwan and Dongshan 55km southwest of outlying Kinmen County, are considered important theaters of operation in a hypothetical attack on Taiwan by China.
The ministry reiterated that the missile tests at Jioupeng were a routine exercise that is usually held in the third quarter of each year to test the conventional and asymmetric warfare capabilities of Taiwan’s military.
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