The US is likely to approve the sale of Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSMs) to Taiwan by the end of this year for use by its Lockheed Martin F-16Vs, a defense official with knowledge of the matter said yesterday.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, made the remark hours after the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency approved the export of 50 JASSMs to Japan for US$104 million.
Taiwan has long sought to obtain the US-made JASSMs, including the AGM-158 base model with a range of 370km, and the AGM-158B, which reportedly has a range of 1,000km, the official said.
Photo: Screen grab from Lockheed Martin’s Web site
That Washington announced its missile deal with Japan could signify that the US is ready to respond positively to Taiwan’s request for JASSMs, weapons that Taipei has long sought, the official said.
Taiwan is keen to obtain long-range weapon systems capable of deep, precision strikes as part of its strategy of deterrence and defense against a potential Chinese invasion.
The Ministry of National Defense’s budget report for fiscal 2024 has been delivered to the Legislative Yuan.
Whether a missile deal is included in the ministry’s general budget is classified information, and the ministry will disclose the information to the Legislative Yuan’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, the official said.
The ministry in January announced plans to spend NT$4.51 billion to acquire long-range precision weapons for the air force’s F-16 fleet.
Taiwan’s Defense Mission to the US and the American Institute in Taiwan have signed a deal to transfer three types of missiles and bombs, the official said, adding that they would boost the air-to-air, land attack and anti-ship capabilities of F-16 jets.
According to other sources in the military, the long-range precision weapons could be 100km and 380km-range JASSMs, the AGM-84H Standoff Land Attack Missile-Expanded Response and the glide bomb AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon.
The Legislative Yuan is scheduled to discuss the defense budget with ministry officials this week.
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