With Taiwan wrapping up mass production of Hsiung Feng II and III missiles by December and an influx of Harpoon missiles from the US, Taiwan would have the highest density of anti-ship missiles in the world, a source said yesterday.
Taiwan is to wrap up mass production of the indigenous anti-ship missiles by the end of year, as the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology has been meeting production targets ahead of schedule, a defense official with knowledge of the matter said.
Combined with the 400 Harpoon anti-ship missiles Taiwan expects to receive from the US by 2028, the nation would have an arsenal of 1,400 anti-ship missiles, making it the country with the highest density of anti-ship missiles in the world, the official said.
Photo courtesy of the Military News Agency
Under the Sea Air Combat Power Improvement Plan, the institute is on track to produce 1,000 Hsiung Feng II and III missiles by the end of the year, the official said.
The program, which stemmed from the nation’s asymmetric defense strategy revolving around the “porcupine” approach to deter a Chinese invasion, devotes significant resources to coastal defense, they said.
The institute has been producing 131 Hsiung Feng II and Hsiung Feng II extended range missiles and 70 Hsiung Feng III and Hsiung Feng III extended range missiles per year, the official said.
Following the end of manufacturing, the institute would work on upgrading the Hsiung Feng II and III missiles, improving precision and hardening against jamming by upgrading the electronics guidance system, the official said
Defense officials say the nation would need 232 such systems, the source said.
The capabilities of the indigenously produced high-performance anti-ship missiles would be bolstered by the US-made Harpoon systems in a “high-low” mix, the official said.
The nation expects to receive 32 Harpoon Coastal Defense Systems with 128 missiles next year, out of the full order for 100 launcher systems and 400 missiles, they added.
The navy is establishing a littoral combatant command in July as part of a reorganization, the official said.
The new headquarters would bring all coastal defense anti-ship missile units under the same command to improve the military’s capability to conduct multilayered saturation strikes on the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy, they said.
A large force of mobile coastal defense missile batteries dispersed across the nation’s coastline would be a powerful deterrent against Beijing’s expansionist ambitions in Taiwan, the official said.
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