Taiwan is expected to begin testing of a cutting-edge high-energy laser system this year, thanks to breakthroughs made possible by “international friends,” a senior official said on Tuesday.
The National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) last year completed research on a low-powered version of a vehicle-mounted laser defense system.
Significant advancements are expected in the coming months, with a 50kW high-energy vehicle-mounted laser expected to enter testing later this year.
Photo courtesy of Kord Technologies
The US military last year delivered four Directed Energy Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense (DE M-SHORAD) prototype systems to the Fourth Battalion, 60th Air Defense Artillery Regiment.
According to the US Army, the 50kW mountable laser weapon is able to neutralize aerial threats through a quiet electronic attack, powered by an onboard thermal and power system that dissipates heat and recharges its batteries.
Earlier this week, US defense media reported that the four DE M-SHORAD prototypes had been sent to the Middle East to test “real-world applicability” operating in dusty conditions.
Many countries are racing to develop 50kW laser weapons systems, which are promising as low-cost defense against drones and slow aircraft.
The NCSIST keeps hitting technological milestones in a short amount of time thanks to guidance from international friends, a senior official with knowledge of the matter said on Tuesday.
The 50kW version is already suitable for combat, and could hopefully begin orders soon as another key weapons system that is produced domestically, the official added.
Considering that most countries issue more than five denominations of banknotes, the central bank has decided to redesign all five denominations, the bank said as it prepares for the first major overhaul of the banknotes in more than 24 years. Central bank Governor Yang Chin-lung (楊金龍) is expected to report to the Legislative Yuan today on the bank’s operations and the redesign’s progress. The bank in a report sent to the legislature ahead of today’s meeting said it had commissioned a survey on the public’s preferences. Survey results showed that NT$100 and NT$1,000 banknotes are the most commonly used, while NT$200 and NT$2,000
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday reported the first case of a new COVID-19 subvariant — BA.3.2 — in a 10-year-old Singaporean girl who had a fever upon arrival in Taiwan and tested positive for the disease. The girl left Taiwan on March 20 and the case did not have a direct impact on the local community, it said. The WHO added the BA.3.2 strain to its list of Variants Under Monitoring in December last year, but this was the first imported case of the COVID-19 variant in Taiwan, CDC Deputy Director-General Lin Ming-cheng (林明誠) said. The girl arrived in Taiwan on
ANNUAL EVENT: Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in Daan Park, with an event zone operating from 10am to 6pm This year’s Taipei Floral Picnic is to be held at Daan Park today and tomorrow, featuring an exclusive Pokemon Go event, a themed food market, a coffee rave picnic area and stage performances, the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism said yesterday. Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in the park as attractions, with an exclusive event zone operating from 10am to 6pm, it said. Participants who complete designated tasks on-site would have a chance to receive limited-edition souvenirs, it added. People could also try the newly launched game Pokemon Pokopia in the trial area, the department said. Three PokeStops are
South Korea is planning to revise its controversial electronic arrival card, a step Taiwanese officials said prompted them to hold off on planned retaliatory measures, a South Korean media report said yesterday. A Yonhap News Agency report said that the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs is planning to remove the “previous departure place” and “next destination” fields from its e-arrival card system. The plan, reached after interagency consultations, is under review and aims to simplify entry procedures and align the electronic form with the paper version, a South Korean ministry official said. The fields — which appeared only on the electronic form
RSS