Taiwan should continue to procure equipment and services from the US to maintain its Patriot missile defense system, as it is the nation’s first line of defense against a Chinese missile attack should a cross-strait war break out, defense experts said yesterday.
The comments came after Washington on Tuesday announced that it has approved the sale of US$95 million of training and equipment to maintain Taiwan’s Patriot missile defense system.
Three defense experts told the Central News Agency that the deal involving logistical support, maintenance and spare parts is crucial for Taiwan’s operation of the defense system.
Photo: CNA
Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲), an analyst at the government-funded Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has exposed the latter’s lack of a medium to long-range missile defense system, which makes it vulnerable to Russian missile attacks.
Compared with Ukraine, Taiwan’s Patriot missile system allows the nation to intercept incoming missiles, although there is some disagreement as to its efficacy, Su said.
In addition to the US system, Taiwan’s military is also equipped with locally developed Tien Kong (Sky Bow) surface-to-air missiles.
These complement the Patriot missile system to establish more comprehensive air defenses against China, Su said.
Chieh Chung (揭仲), an associate research fellow at the National Policy Foundation in Taipei, said that Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missiles are smaller, more agile and more accurate, and can be deployed in large numbers, which makes them highly effective against ballistic missiles.
He added that the Sky Bow system can intercept incoming enemy aircraft in addition to ballistic missiles.
Chou Yu-ping (周宇平), a retired air force colonel from the Air Missile Defense Command, said Taiwan uses the PAC-3 and upgraded PAC-2 systems.
He said that PAC-2 and PAC-3 have both proven capable of intercepting missiles in combat.
The military last month confirmed that it has reached a deal with the US to buy an upgraded version of PAC-3, namely PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement, with delivery to start in 2025 and deployment the following year.
The latest arms deal announced on Tuesday could also mean the US will send personnel to Taiwan to prepare for the PAC-3 upgrades, Chieh said.
It was the third arms sale approved since US President Joe Biden took office in January last year.
The first, approved in August last year, is for the acquisition of 40 Paladin M109A6 self-propelled howitzers at a cost of US$750 million.
The second, approved in February, is worth US$100 million, and includes equipment and services to support participation in the Patriot International Engineering Services Program and Field Surveillance Program for five years.
AGING: While Japan has 22 submarines, Taiwan only operates four, two of which were commissioned by the US in 1945 and 1946, and transferred to Taiwan in 1973 Taiwan would need at least 12 submarines to reach modern fleet capabilities, CSBC Corp, Taiwan chairman Chen Cheng-hung (陳政宏) said in an interview broadcast on Friday, citing a US assessment. CSBC is testing the nation’s first indigenous defense submarine, the Hai Kun (海鯤, Narwhal), which is scheduled to be delivered to the navy next month or in July. The Hai Kun has completed torpedo-firing tests and is scheduled to undergo overnight sea trials, Chen said on an SET TV military affairs program. Taiwan would require at least 12 submarines to establish a modern submarine force after assessing the nation’s operational environment and defense
Yangmingshan National Park authorities yesterday urged visitors to respect public spaces and obey the law after a couple was caught on a camera livestream having sex at the park’s Qingtiangang (擎天崗) earlier in the day. The Shilin Police Precinct in Taipei said it has identified a suspect and his vehicle registration number, and would summon him for questioning. The case would be handled in accordance with public indecency charges, it added. The couple entered the park at about 11pm on Thursday and began fooling around by 1am yesterday, the police said, adding that the two were unaware of the park’s all-day live
The coast guard today said that it had disrupted "illegal" operations by a Chinese research ship in waters close to the nation and driven it away, part of what Taipei sees a provocative pattern of China's stepped up maritime activities. The coast guard said that it on Thursday last week detected the Chinese ship Tongji (同濟號), which was commissioned only last year, 29 nautical miles (54km) southeast of the southern tip of Taiwan, although just outside restricted waters. The ship was observed lowering ropes into the water, suspected to be the deployment of scientific instruments for "illegal" survey operations, and the coast
A former soldier and an active-duty army officer were yesterday indicted for allegedly selling classified military training materials to a Chinese intelligence operative for a total of NT$79,440. The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office indicted Chen Tai-yin (陳泰尹) and Lee Chun-ta (李俊達) for contravening the National Security Act (國家安全法) and the Anti-Corruption Act (貪污治罪條例). Chen left the military in September 2013 after serving alongside then-staff sergeant Lee, now an army lieutenant, at the 21st Artillery Command of the army’s Sixth Corps from 2011 to 2013, according to the indictment. Chen met a Chinese intelligence operative identified as “Wang” (王) through a friend in November
RSS