The army announced yesterday that it would buy the domestically-built RT-2000 multiple launch rocket system. The first batch will cost over NT$1 billion, according to next year's defense budget.
The multiple launch rocket system, developed by the military-run Chun Shan Institute of Science and Technology, will become the army's most lethal line of defense against a possible attack by Chinese military vessels.
The army plans to buy 60 RT-2000 multiple launch rocket systems, which were initially scheduled to enter mass production last year.
The mass production plan was put off mainly because of the army's hesitation over whether to place orders for the RT-2000 or a similar system produced by the US -- the MLRS (multiple launch rocket system).
The army delayed its decision until the RT-2000 was successfully test-fired in this April's Hankuang No. 17 exercise under the watchful eyes of the press and the public via a closed curcuit television broadcast.
The decision comes four years after a prototype of the RT-2000 was first introduced to the public at the Taipei Air Show in 1997.
The RT-2000 is expected to replace an older system called the Kung Feng VI, which was also developed by the Chun Shan Institute and has been in service with the army for around two decades.
The RT-2000 is superior to the Kung Feng VI in many respects, especially in range and fire power. It can fire three different caliber of rockets simultaneously, with the highest-caliber rocket capable of hitting targets 45km away.
The army intends to buy 60 RT-2000 systems for use mainly by troops on Taiwan proper, with some to be deployed on the Penghu islands.
Chang Li-teh (張立德), a senior editor with Defense Technology Monthly magazine, said the RT-2000 would be an effective weapon against potential amphibious landing attempts by the Chinese military.
"The army did the right thing in choosing the RT-2000, rather than the US' MLRS. The RT-2000 can fire rockets at a continuous interval of two seconds between each firing, while the MLRS needs an interval of ten seconds between each rocket launch," Chang said.
"The RT-2000 still has room for improvement, such as the addition of a self-destruct mechanism to prevent accidental personnel damage caused by contact with unexploded rockets, " he said.
Chang made the comments in reference to an accident that happened shortly after the Hankuang No. 17 exercise.
In the accident, a fisherman was badly injured when an unexploded rocket fired from the RT-2000 got caught in his fishing net and exploded when he touched it.
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