A maintenance contract with the US for Taiwan’s Harpoon missiles is to increase by more than US$27 million after it was extended to 2025, the Ministry of National Defense said on Thursday.
The contract has been amended to cover weapons and related systems from a US$2.37 billion deal proposed in October 2020, with the cost for maintenance work rising from US$12.1 million to more than US$39.13 million, the ministry said.
A military official who spoke on condition of anonymity said that the extension to September 2025 had been made given that recently procured missile systems were not covered by the existing maintenance agreement.
The ministry said in June last year that Taiwan had signed two arms contracts with the US to boost the nation’s defense capabilities.
Although it did not make public details of the two packages, sources at the time said that one of them was for Harpoon Coastal Defense Systems (HCDS).
Included in the deal were RGM-84L-4 Harpoon Block II surface-launched missiles, four RTM-84L-4 Harpoon Block II exercise missiles, 411 containers, 100 Harpoon Coastal Defense System launcher transporter units, and 25 radar trucks.
The deal brings the number of Harpoon systems within the armed forces to four, as the navy currently possesses UGM-84L and RGM-84L Harpoon missiles that can be launched via submarines and frigates, while the Air Force has AGM-84L Harpoon air-launched missiles.
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