Local military analysts yesterday said the Pentagon's notification to Congress yesterday of its intention to sell Hawk missiles and components to Taiwan was merely a "drop in the island's arms purchases bucket."
The sale, which will help upgrade Taiwan's outdated air surveillance systems, was most likely publicized now to avoid further angering an already-feisty China.
"The Pentagon is for some reason releasing items slowly, instead of giving China a big shock," said Holmes Liao
The Pentagon authorized Raytheon Co to sell Taiwan 162 Hawk intercept air-to-air missiles and related equipment, unless Congress raises objections to the deal. The Pentagon estimated the value of the sale at US$106 million.
"This proposed sale will support the recipient's continued effort to modernize and enhance its air defense capabilities," the Pentagon said.
Taiwan currently possesses a third-generation version of the mobile Hawk missiles, the delivery of which was completed in 1997. Hawk missiles have been the backbone of the Taiwan army's air-defense system against low- and mid-level aircraft defense since 1964.
The Pentagon said the sale would not upset the military balance in the Taiwan Strait.
The head of the US forces in the Pacific said on Tuesday that the number of Chinese missiles deployed against Taiwan has been increasing at a rate of 50 annually.
The Pentagon also authorized Northrop Grumman Corp to sell Taiwan items needed to convert TPS-43F air surveillance radar to a TPS-75V configuration. The Pentagon estimated the cost at US$96 million.
"The proposed sale of radar will provide more responsive and timely information for air defense operations," it said. "The conversion of the TPS-43F radar would modernize the system which is becoming unsupportable due to obsolescence."
The total sale of the two defense weapons systems at US$202 million pales in comparison to the delivered value of weapons Taiwan received in 1998, which totalled US$1.48 billion.
The announcement of the proposed sale comes at a time when the Clinton administration is locked in heated debate over whether the US should sell guided-missile carrying frigates equipped with the Aegis battle system to Taiwan.
Analysts pointed out that Taiwan would continue its efforts to lobby for the US to sell it Aegis systems for destroyers, which can track hundreds of targets at once, and an early warning radar systems.
Destroyers equipped with Aegis systems are said to carry a price tag of nearly NT$10 billion a ship. This includes the hardware and restructuring costs for military ports to accommodate the high deadweight ships.
Su Chin-chiang
"The more warning time we have, the more prepared we will be to defend ourselves from an attack," Su said.
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