The Ministry of National Defense (MND) has provided a timetable for its long-range missile programs in a report to the Legislative Yuan following the passage of a NT$237 billion (US$8.45 billion) budget in January.
The report follows a request by lawmakers for a timetable on implementing the Sea-Air Combat Power Improvement Plan, a five-year program that started earlier this year, a source said yesterday on condition of anonymity.
The Hsiung Feng III, a supersonic missile that can attack ships and ground-based targets up to a range of 400km, is to enter mass production next year, which would raise its annual capacity to 70 units from 20 now, the source said, citing the report.
Photo copied by Chen Hsien-yi, Taipei Times
The increase follows the construction of six new facilities, which the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology is to complete in late June, the report said.
The Hsiung Sheng cruise missile, with an estimated range of 1,000km to 1,200km — enough to reach China — has been confirmed to be the same system formerly known as the Hsiung Feng IIE missile, the source said.
The combined annual production capacity of Hsiung Sheng and Hsiung Feng II missiles — which share assembly lines — would rise to 131 units from 81 units, the report said.
Basic and extended-range Hsiung Feng missiles are being deployed on Taiwan proper and outlying islands as a defense against the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy’s large warships, it added.
The Hai Chien II surface-to-air missile — which can be launched from the ground or a ship — would see its annual production rise to 150 units from 40 units, the report said.
The annual production capacity of Tien Kung III air defense missiles would also increase to 96 units from 48, while the Wan Chien air-to-ground cruise missiles and the Chien Hsiang loitering munition would reach 50 units and 48 units respectively, it said.
This should result in production of the Hsiung Sheng missile, the Wan Chien missile and the Chien Hsiang loitering munition being completed in 2024 or 2025, ahead of schedule, the report said.
The combat power improvement plan was intended for the acquisition of long-range cruise missiles, upgraded air defense systems and modern warships, government statements said at the time.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
A former officer in China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) who witnessed the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre has warned that Taiwan could face a similar fate if China attempts to unify the country by force. Li Xiaoming (李曉明), who was deployed to Beijing as a junior officer during the crackdown, said Taiwanese people should study the massacre carefully, because it offers a glimpse of what Beijing is willing to do to suppress dissent. “What happened in Tiananmen Square could happen in Taiwan too,” Li told CNA in a May 22 interview, ahead of the massacre’s 36th anniversary. “If Taiwanese students or
RSS