Washington is evaluating a transfer of weapons systems requested by Taiwan, according to a copy of a report by the Ministry of National Defense (MND) that is to be submitted to lawmakers tomorrow.
Asked whether the AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile would be among the weapons systems, the ministry refused to comment, but said that it would not rule out announcing the specifics later this year.
The ministry’s domestically sourced high-priority military investments include submarines, next-generation light frigates, rescue ships, advanced trainer jets and infantry fighting vehicles, the report said.
Photo: screen grab from the Web site of the US Air Force
Planned deals include F-16A and F-16B jet performance upgrades, navigation and targeting pods, precision-guided munitions, High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (known as HIMARS), Harpoon coastal defense missile systems and MQ-9B drones, it said.
Last year, the ministry told Chinese-language media that it expressed interest in US-made AGM-158 missiles, which can be launched from jets and have a range of 370km.
The US probably had concerns that the transfer of long-range weapons could provoke China, Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲), a research analyst at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, told the Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper).
However, China’s increasingly mature aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships pose a growing security threat, helping Taipei make the case for obtaining the missiles, he said.
Aegis Combat System-equipped warships, precision-guided munitions and stealth technologies might become necessary for Taiwan’s defense, and the ministry should consider requesting them, he said.
Meanwhile, the navy is on track to procure nine more Tuo Chiang-class corvettes, so that it would have 12 warships of that class by 2026, the report said.
The shipbuilding project is funded via the Sea and Air Combat Power Improvement Special Budget of NT$236.9 billion (US$7.46 billion), it said, adding that the remaining 10 ships on the order would cost more than NT$69.2 billion.
The class’ lead ship, the ROCS Tuo Chiang, has been in service since 2014, while the second ship, the ROCS Fu Chiang, was christened on Sept. 21 following significant design changes that increased the class’ tonnage and capabilities.
Tuo Chiang-class corvettes built after the improvements have a displacement of 685 tonnes, and can carry 16 Hai Chien II air defense missiles, eight Hisung Feng II and four Hsiung Feng III anti-ship missiles. Each corvette requires an estimated 17 months to build.
The contract to construct the ships was awarded to Lungteh Shipbuilding Co (龍德造船).
DEFENDING DEMOCRACY: Taiwan shares the same values as those that fought in WWII, and nations must unite to halt the expansion of a new authoritarian bloc, Lai said The government yesterday held a commemoration ceremony for Victory in Europe (V-E) Day, joining the rest of the world for the first time to mark the anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. Taiwan honoring V-E Day signifies “our growing connections with the international community,” President William Lai (賴清德) said at a reception in Taipei on the 80th anniversary of V-E Day. One of the major lessons of World War II is that “authoritarianism and aggression lead only to slaughter, tragedy and greater inequality,” Lai said. Even more importantly, the war also taught people that “those who cherish peace cannot
STEADFAST FRIEND: The bills encourage increased Taiwan-US engagement and address China’s distortion of UN Resolution 2758 to isolate Taiwan internationally The Presidential Office yesterday thanked the US House of Representatives for unanimously passing two Taiwan-related bills highlighting its solid support for Taiwan’s democracy and global participation, and for deepening bilateral relations. One of the bills, the Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act, requires the US Department of State to periodically review its guidelines for engagement with Taiwan, and report to the US Congress on the guidelines and plans to lift self-imposed limitations on US-Taiwan engagement. The other bill is the Taiwan International Solidarity Act, which clarifies that UN Resolution 2758 does not address the issue of the representation of Taiwan or its people in
US Indo-Pacific Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo on Friday expressed concern over the rate at which China is diversifying its military exercises, the Financial Times (FT) reported on Saturday. “The rates of change on the depth and breadth of their exercises is the one non-linear effect that I’ve seen in the last year that wakes me up at night or keeps me up at night,” Paparo was quoted by FT as saying while attending the annual Sedona Forum at the McCain Institute in Arizona. Paparo also expressed concern over the speed with which China was expanding its military. While the US
‘FALLACY’: Xi’s assertions that Taiwan was given to the PRC after WWII confused right and wrong, and were contrary to the facts, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday called Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) claim that China historically has sovereignty over Taiwan “deceptive” and “contrary to the facts.” In an article published on Wednesday in the Russian state-run Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Xi said that this year not only marks 80 years since the end of World War II and the founding of the UN, but also “Taiwan’s restoration to China.” “A series of instruments with legal effect under international law, including the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Declaration have affirmed China’s sovereignty over Taiwan,” Xi wrote. “The historical and legal fact” of these documents, as well
RSS