The military's Chung Shan Institute of Science and Tech-nology has developed a shipborne missile vertical launching system (VLS) similar to that used on the AEGIS-class ships of the US navy, defense sources said yesterday.
The VLS is now in the testing phase after nearly 10 years of development.
The system, if it goes into production, could be deployed on several ships, including the Chengkung-class frigate, Lafayette-class frigate, Knox-class frigate and the Kidd-class destroyers the US has agreed to sell to Taiwan.
The system was initially designed for the eighth Chengkung-class frigate, which originally was to have been equipped with the Advanced Combat System (ACS) of the US Navy's AEGIS-class ships.
Construction of the eighth Chengkung-class frigate has been delayed for financial and political reasons. The navy has resumed construction but the ship will have to do without the ACS. The ship is scheduled to be launched on Oct. 17.
Although the navy's plans to deploy the VLS on the advanced Chengkung frigate have been shelved, the system has been modified for use on other types of ships.
The system is similar to the Mk-41 vertical launching system now in use on the Aegis-equipped ships of the US Navy. Taiwan's system is designed to fire the domestically-built Tien Chien-II anti-aircraft missile.
There are two types of Tien Chien-II missiles that could be fired from the VLS: the normal type, which has been made public -- and an enlarged version, which has not be made public.
Chang Li-teh (張立德), a senior editor with Defense Technology Monthly magazine, said the VLS could be deployed on Kidd-class destroyers but would not greatly increase the ship's firepower.
"The Kidd's radar system can guide missiles against three targets at a time. It would not be able to work as powerfully as the phased-array radar of the AEGIS-class ships," Chang said. "Without a good radar system, a warship with the VLS is not any better than a ship without the system."
The system, Chang said, would be more useful on the Chengkung-class or the Lafayette-class frigate, which lacks a powerful air defense system.
The system has to be reduced in size for installation on the Chengkung-class frigate, which is not large enough for a full-sized model of the system, Chang said.
The Lafayette-class frigate has room for additional weapons systems such as the VLS but it is not known how much space is available, he said.
A defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity said the VLS has been tested several times and the results were generally good.
"The VLS might not be as good as the Mk-41 of the US, but its successful development proves once again that Taiwan has the ability to produce world-class weapons," the official said.
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