The Hsiung Feng III missile project’s former chief engineer, Chang Cheng (張誠), has said that the military needs to extend the altitude of the Tien Kung III air-defense missile to effectively counter any threats from China.
In response to the rising military threat from China, the Ministry of National Defense has taken steps to increase missile production, raising production of the Tien Kung III missile from 48 units to 96 units per year, a defense official speaking on condition of anonymity said yesterday.
China’s live-fire missile drills earlier this month showed that the Tien Kung III air-defense missile cannot reach the altitude necessary to intercept some Chinese strikes, Chang wrote on Facebook on Tuesday.
Photo: CNA
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) fired four Dongfeng-17 ballistic missiles into strategically key waters off eastern Taiwan where Taiwanese warships shelter and US forces would travel to counter a Chinese invasion, Chang said.
The missiles likely flew over Taiwan proper at an altitude of about 100km, the height they should reach when traveling the last one-third of their effective range, while the extended-range Tien Kung III has a service ceiling of 70km, he said.
This means the country’s premier air defense missile is incapable of shooting down Chinese ballistic missiles, he said.
“To intercept the PLA’s guided missiles at altitudes of 100km or more, the Chungshan Institute [of Science and Technology] would have to create a system capable of reaching 150km, similar to the US’ Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system,” Chang said.
The navy and the institute should join forces to design surface warships with an advanced air defense capability, mirroring that of the US Navy’s Advanced Electronic Guidance and Instrumentation System (AEGIS), he said.
AEGIS-equipped ships can defend a fleet from ballistic missiles by utilizing Standard Missile-2s and Standard Missile-6s, which are capable of defeating ballistic missiles, Chang said, adding that Hai Kung III missiles, which are close to being completed by the institute, could be used on such a warship.
A vertical launch system should also be built so that the theoretical warships could fire Hsiung Sheng missiles that have been designed for naval use, he said.
The anonymous defense official yesterday said that the extended-range Tien Kung III’s maximum interception height is probably 45km.
The missile launches seen on Thursday near the institute’s Jioupeng Military Base in Pingtung County’s Manjhou Township (滿州) were likely a test in which two extended-range missiles were fired at a simulated ballistic missile, the official said.
The military plans to establish 17 launch sites for the Tien Kung III missile before 2026 as part of Taiwan’s “porcupine” defense strategy, they said, adding that similar measures are being taken for anti-ship missiles.
The porcupine strategy refers to an asymmetric strategy that aims to make a territory difficult and costly to invade, which in part involves using anti-aircraft, anti-ship and anti-tank missiles against an opposing force’s large and expensive weapons platforms.
NO HUMAN ERROR: After the incident, the Coast Guard Administration said it would obtain uncrewed aerial vehicles and vessels to boost its detection capacity Authorities would improve border control to prevent unlawful entry into Taiwan’s waters and safeguard national security, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday after a Chinese man reached the nation’s coast on an inflatable boat, saying he “defected to freedom.” The man was found on a rubber boat when he was about to set foot on Taiwan at the estuary of Houkeng River (後坑溪) near Taiping Borough (太平) in New Taipei City’s Linkou District (林口), authorities said. The Coast Guard Administration’s (CGA) northern branch said it received a report at 6:30am yesterday morning from the New Taipei City Fire Department about a
IN BEIJING’S FAVOR: A China Coast Guard spokesperson said that the Chinese maritime police would continue to carry out law enforcement activities in waters it claims The Philippines withdrew its coast guard vessel from a South China Sea shoal that has recently been at the center of tensions with Beijing. BRP Teresa Magbanua “was compelled to return to port” from Sabina Shoal (Xianbin Shoal, 仙濱暗沙) due to bad weather, depleted supplies and the need to evacuate personnel requiring medical care, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman Jay Tarriela said yesterday in a post on X. The Philippine vessel “will be in tiptop shape to resume her mission” after it has been resupplied and repaired, Philippine Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who heads the nation’s maritime council, said
REGIONAL STABILITY: Taipei thanked the Biden administration for authorizing its 16th sale of military goods and services to uphold Taiwan’s defense and safety The US Department of State has approved the sale of US$228 million of military goods and services to Taiwan, the US Department of Defense said on Monday. The state department “made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale” to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US for “return, repair and reshipment of spare parts and related equipment,” the defense department’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a news release. Taiwan had requested the purchase of items and services which include the “return, repair and reshipment of classified and unclassified spare parts for aircraft and related equipment; US Government
More than 500 people on Saturday marched in New York in support of Taiwan’s entry to the UN, significantly more people than previous years. The march, coinciding with the ongoing 79th session of the UN General Assembly, comes close on the heels of growing international discourse regarding the meaning of UN Resolution 2758. Resolution 2758, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1971, recognizes the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the “only lawful representative of China.” It resulted in the Republic of China (ROC) losing its seat at the UN to the PRC. Taiwan has since been excluded from