Taiwan has been given the go-ahead for live-fire testing in 2001 of US Patriot missiles it bought in 1996, sources at the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday.
The missiles, which were made famous during the Persian Gulf War, were formally deployed after passing combat readiness tests in July, 1998.
If Taiwan does conduct live tests, it will represent the first time that a country deploying Patriot missiles has tested them on its own territory rather than in the US.
The sources said that a US combat proficiency team came to Taiwan in July 1998 to help its army carry out combat readiness tests on the missiles.
The US team came to Taiwan again in mid-1999 to assess the feasibility of live-fire testings of the missiles on the island, sources said.
Taiwan's military has been actively engaged in coordinating with the US since last year and has expressed the hope that live-fire tests might be conducted in Taiwan.
Taiwan bought three batteries of PAC-II Plus Patriot missiles in 1992 at a cost of NT$22.8 billion (US$706 million) to boost its defenses.
The three units are comprised of missiles, wheeled vehicles and multi-functional radar.
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