Taiwan’s main weapons research-and-development unit is working to develop low-cost munitions to counter China’s potential use of similar weapons in a conflict that could deplete Taiwan’s stock of air defense missiles.
Speaking at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee yesterday, Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology president Li Shih-chiang
(李世強) said the institute is developing the munitions domestically, with test flights expected next year.
Photo: screen grab from a Legislative Yuan live broadcast
He did not provide details, but Lieutenant General Lien Chih-wei (連志威), deputy chief of the general staff for operations and planning, said that other sources were also being considered.
Lien said the Ministry of National Defense hopes to acquire munitions through multiple channels, including for Taiwan’s “T-Dome,” which aims to provide low, medium and high-altitude air defense coverage.
First announced by President William Lai (賴清德) in his National Day address in October last year, the “T-Dome” project envisions a layered, highly responsive defense network capable of intercepting Chinese missiles and rockets.
Li and Lien’s comments came after the ministry presented a report reviewing Taiwan’s air and missile defense capabilities, including low-cost interception methods and counterdrone measures, in light of the ongoing war in the Middle East.
The report said the development of affordable air defense munitions capable of intercepting long-range rockets was being considered to prevent adversaries from depleting Taiwan’s reserves of air defense missiles and ensure operational resilience.
Separately, asked about four MQ-9B surveillance drones ordered from the US, Air Force Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Lee Ching-jan (李慶然) said the first two should be delivered in the third quarter of this year.
The MQ-9B drones were originally scheduled to be delivered last year, but have been delayed until this year or next.
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