Defense Mission to the US and the American Institute in Taiwan, the de facto US embassy to the nation, have inked a NT$697 million (US$22.48 million) deal to maintain the Raytheon Standard missiles utilized by the navy.
The sustainment package runs from last month to December 2027 and is to cost NT$7.58 million for the portion to be implemented this year, the government said in a contract award notice on Tuesday.
Standard Missile 1 (SM-1) and Standard Missile 2 (SM-2), subtypes of the RIM-66 Standard, are multipurpose weapons capable of engaging aircraft and ships that equip the bulk of the navy’s surface combatants, including Cheng Kung-class and Kang Ding-class frigates, and Kee Lung-class destroyers.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
The SM-1 was introduced in the navy more than three decades ago and the weapon has since been phased out of the US Navy, resulting in Raytheon terminating support of the weapon for end users.
Since then, Taiwan has relied on the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology to maintain and upgrade the SM-1s still in the magazines of Taiwanese warships.
Meanwhile, the SM-2 systems are still in use as a frontline weapon in the US Navy and continue to enjoy Raytheon’s maintenance and sustainment services, meaning the contract likely applies specifically to missiles of this type arming Kee Lung-class destroyers.
The US Navy remains the largest user of the Standard family of missiles, including the latest RIM-176 Extended Range Active Missile, also known as Standard Missile 6, which is designed with the capability to intercept aircraft, cruise and ballistic missiles, and satellites.
CHANGES: After-school tutoring periods, extracurricular activities during vacations or after-school study periods must not be used to teach new material, the ministry said The Ministry of Education yesterday announced new rules that would ban giving tests to most elementary and junior-high school students during morning study and afternoon rest periods. The amendments to regulations governing public education at elementary schools and junior high schools are to be implemented on Aug. 1. The revised rules stipulate that schools are forbidden to use after-school tutoring periods, extracurricular activities during summer or winter vacation or after-school study periods to teach new course material. In addition, schools would be prohibited from giving tests or exams to students in grades one to eight during morning study and afternoon break periods, the
GOOD DIPLOMACY: The KMT has maintained close contact with representative offices in Taiwan and had extended an invitation to Russia as well, the KMT said The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) would “appropriately handle” the fallout from an invitation it had extended to Russia’s representative to Taipei to attend its international banquet last month, KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said yesterday. US and EU representatives in Taiwan boycotted the event, and only later agreed to attend after the KMT rescinded its invitation to the Russian representative. The KMT has maintained long-term close contact with all representative offices and embassies in Taiwan, and had extended the invitation as a practice of good diplomacy, Chu said. “Some EU countries have expressed their opinions of Russia, and the KMT respects that,” he
Advocates of the rights of motorcycle and scooter riders yesterday protested in front of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications in Taipei, making three demands. They were joined by 30 passenger vehicles, which surrounded the ministry to make three demands related to traffic regulations — that motorcycles and scooters above 250cc be allowed on highways, that all motorcycles and scooters be allowed on inside lanes, and that driver and rider training programs be reformed. The ministry said that it has no plans to allow motorcycles on national highways for the time being, and said that motorcycles would be allowed on the inner
AMENDMENT: Contact with certain individuals in China, Hong Kong and Macau must be reported, and failure to comply could result in a prison sentence, the proposal stated The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) yesterday voted against a proposed bill by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers that would require elected officials to seek approval before visiting China. DPP Legislator Puma Shen’s (沈伯洋) proposed amendments to the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (臺灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例), stipulate that contact with certain individuals in China, Hong Kong and Macau should be reported, while failure to comply would be punishable by prison sentences of up to three years, alongside a fine of NT$10 million (US$309,041). Fifty-six voted with the TPP in opposition