The army on Tuesday successfully test-fired two new US-made anti-aircraft missile systems at a top-security missile test site in Pingtung, southern Taiwan, the military confirmed yesterday.
It is the first time that the vehicle-mounted Avenger air defense system and its man-portable variant DMS (dual-mounted Stinger) have been put to the test since they were delivered early last year.
A total of four missiles were fired in the tests, all successfully hitting the designated targets, the army said.
The test-firing took place on Tuesday at Pingtung's Chiupeng missile test site under the supervision of commander-in-chief of the army, General Chen Cheng-hsiang (
A group of US military personnel from South Korea was also at the site to assist with the first-ever test-firing of the advanced weapons systems in Taiwan, a defense source said. The army ordered the Avenger system in 1996 at a price of US$420 million and the DMS system in 1997 at US$62.5 million.
The Avenger and DMS systems are to formally become operational later this month following the success of the tests.
Chang Li-teh (
"The Avenger system which the army has purchased is enough to equip only one corps. The army's first priority is the Sixth Corps, which defend the northern parts of the country including Taipei," Chang said.
"It is a similar situation with the DMS system. The army has bought only some 400 Stinger missiles for use on the system. We do not know how many launchers the army has acquired for the missiles. If the number is limited, the overall effect of the missile system will not be as good as expected," he said.
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