The US on Friday authorized the sale of Integrated Battle Command Systems (IBCS) — an integrated air defense architecture — to Denmark, a move potentially clearing the way for their export to Taiwan, sources familiar with the matter said on Saturday.
The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has approved the foreign military sale of IBCS with Indirect Fire Protection Capability and related equipment for an estimated US$3 billion to Denmark, it said in a notice.
This includes 24 environmentally sealed magazines compatible with AIM-9X heat-seeking missiles, eight Indirect Fire Protection Capability Increment 2 launchers, and two IBCS units with radar systems, network relays and operation centers, in addition to related services, the agency said.
Photo courtesy of the Norwegian Ministry of Defense
In Taipei, military officials commenting on condition of anonymity said that as Taiwan and the US have already had preliminary discussions and reached a consensus, US sources suggested Taiwan is likely to be the next country Washington prepares to sell the IBCS to, due to the reliance of Taiwanese air defense systems on this equipment.
Patriot Advanced Capabilities-2, Patriot Advanced Capabilities-3, National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS), Tien Kung II (天弓, Sky Bow), Tien Kung III and Tien Kung IV are among the nation’s IBCS-dependent air defense systems, they said.
The IBCS is a linchpin technology for President William Lai’s (賴清德) proposed “T-Dome” integrated air defense system intended to counter China’s formidable cruise missile and ballistic missile arsenal, they said.
The proposed air defense network should be capable of engaging missiles, fighter jets, strategic bombers and uncrewed aerial vehicles operating at varied airspeeds and altitudes, the sources said.
The T-Dome, similarly to the air defense concept being implemented in Denmark, is designed to establish a unified command and control to enable optimized allocation of fires by all air defense missiles defending the homeland, they said.
This means the air defense weapons selected to engage the threat would be the best match to its distance and performance, ensuring efficient use of ammunition and successful interdiction, they said.
Taiwan and Denmark both opted to buy NASAMS launchers, which are designed for the AIM-120, a medium range radar-guided missile for antimissile defense, in addition to shorter-ranged AIM-9X and Stinger missiles to knock out mortar shells, artillery rockets and drones, they said.
The price listed in the DSCA notice suggests the per-unit cost for the IBCS would be about US$530 million.
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