The air force yesterday confirmed that it has requested the purchase of additional Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement interceptors from the US to counter a growing Chinese threat to national security, while the Control Yuan sought corrections to the paperwork.
The missiles are to be delivered in 2025 or 2026, and be deployed by the end of 2026, the Ministry of National Defense said in a report to the Legislative Yuan.
Sources in the air force declined to comment on budget allocations for the missiles, or the number to be purchased.
Photo: AP
The report said that the request was made in 2019.
The missiles’ “revolutionary two-pulse solid rocket motor provides increased performance in both altitude and range while employing the same proven hit-to-kill,” said the Web site of Lockheed-Martin, which manufactures the weapons system. “The two-pulse solid rocket motor and enhanced airframe gives the interceptor more maneuverability against faster and more sophisticated tactical ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.”
Taiwan received its first PAC-2 systems in 1997, with upgrades to PAC-3 being implemented since 2007.
Taiwan has deployed more than 400 PAC-3 missiles.
However, the Control Yuan passed a motion to issue the ministry with a corrective measure notice, citing “faulty procedures” regarding the paperwork for the purchase of the missiles.
The military issues regular recertification requests to the US to keep its equipment up to date and well-maintained, the Control Yuan said, but added that the 2019 request for yesterday’s proposed purchase had not been signed by the minister of national defense.
The legislature only learned of the purchase proposal after it was approved for committee hearings at the US Congress, a Control Yuan report said, adding that it has issued the corrective measure notice so that it could oversee changes to administrative procedures for arms purchases.
Separately, the ministry also confirmed that the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology has fulfilled its quota for this year of 23 Tien Kung (Skybow) 3 missiles.
The ministry had commissioned the institute to provide Skybow missiles yearly from 2015 to 2024, in a NT$74.83 billion (US$2.62 billion at the current exchange rate) contract.
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) in 2019 asked the institute to expedite production of the Tien Kung and Hsiung Feng missiles series without sacrificing quality.
Institute for National Defense and Security Research senior analyst Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲) told the Central News Agency that Skybow-3s have a higher intercept altitude than PAC-3s, although the PAC-3s have better precision.
The systems complement each other, Su said.
TAIWAN PROTECTION MEASURE: US Army General Charles Flynn would not say where in the Asia-Pacific the missiles would be sent, but only that they would arrive in 2024 The US is to send medium-range missiles including the Standard Missile 6 (SM-6) and Tomahawk to the Asia-Pacific next year to deter a Chinese attack on Taiwan, US military news Web site Defense One reported. The report cited comments US Army General Charles Flynn made during the annual Halifax International Security Forum on Nov. 19. “We have tested them and we have a battery or two of them today,” Flynn was quoted as saying. “In [20]24. We intend to deploy that system in your region. I’m not going to say where and when. But I will just say that we will
UNUSUAL UPTICK: There are more flu-like illnesses in northern China than in the past 3 years, but data from Beijing showed that known pathogens are responsible Responding to an uptick in respiratory illnesses in China, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday said it has instructed international airport and port quarantine centers to raise their alert levels, and plans to issue an alert to healthcare practitioners. The number of flu-like illnesses reported in northern China has been increasing for five consecutive weeks, and is higher than the same period in the past three years, CDC Deputy Director-General Philip Lo (羅一鈞) said. “According to the WHO’s latest statement, issued yesterday, information provided by Chinese government showed that the illnesses were mainly reported among children, and the illnesses were attributed
LOYALTY: The 10 active and retired soldiers betrayed the nation and its people by leaking and passing on military secrets to China, the High Prosecutors’ Office said Ten former and current military officers were yesterday indicted on charges of spying for China, including two who allegedly filmed themselves pledging loyalty to Beijing. The High Prosecutors’ Office requested life imprisonment for the suspects in light of the severity of the crime. The 10 active-duty and retired officers included members of the 601st Brigade of the Aviation Special Forces comprising attack helicopter squadrons and elite combat units in charge of defending northern Taiwan, including Taipei. The other suspects came from Huadong Defense Command, in charge of defending the eastern coast; Kinmen Defense Command, in charge of defending Kinmen and Matsu; and one
‘OPEN TO DIALOGUE’: Her alliance with Vice President William Lai is based on their commitment to preserve the nation’s freedom and democracy, Hsiao Bi-khim said Taiwan should “trust, but verify” reports that Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) denied that Beijing plans to invade Taiwan in 2027, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) vice presidential candidate Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) told reporters yesterday. “We anticipate and we hope that Chairman Xi Jinping was sincere when he said there was no timetable” for bringing Taiwan under control by force, said Hsiao, who earlier this week resigned as the representative to the US to join the ticket of DPP nominee, Vice President William Lai (賴清德). Borrowing a phrase from former US president Ronald Reagan — which US President Joe Biden also used after