Taiwan speeds up development of air defenses

Tien Kung III - NCSIST

Time of missile delivery pushed two years ahead of schedule to respond to threats facing the island

The acquisition of new main battle tanks, next-generation guided missile frigates and armed uncrewed aerial vehicles are high on the Taiwanese military’s shopping list this year.

They are on top of ongoing deals for infantry fighting vehicles and heavy long-range submarine-launched torpedoes, as well as Taiwan’s multibillion-dollar program to upgrade its F-16 jet fighter fleet.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has reportedly ordered the military to prioritize the development and deployment of air defense systems, including the Tien Kung III and Hsiung Feng III hypersonic anti-tactical ballistic missile, as well as the US-made MIM-104F Patriot surface-to-air missile, to respond to the changing threats facing the self-ruled island.

The ministry has sped up mass production of the Tien Kung III, whose delivery date has been pushed up to 2022, two years ahead of the original schedule, according to Taiwan’s Central News Agency.

Production of the Tien Kung III system will replace Taiwan’s stocks of MIM-23 Hawk missiles. Previously, the US had given Taiwan the option of upgrading the Hawk, buying the NASAMS missile or buying the THAAD missile system to replace their Hawks. But Taiwan ultimately decided to pursue the development of indigenous weapons to meet its needs.

The Taiwanese army will replace the fiber-optic cables in its information infrastructure with satellite equipment to augment the security and efficiency of command, control and communications.

Multiple-layered deterrence, defending littoral seas and preventing an adversary from establishing beachheads are among the key defense strategies acceding to a report submitted to the island’s Legislative Yuan.

Source: www.asiatimes.com

TK Ⅲ Surface to Air Missile

The Tien-Kung, also known as the Sky Bow, is a medium- to long-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system operated by Taiwan. The system is composed of the surface-to-air missiles, the canisters, and the mobile fire control units. The fire control unit includes the phased array radar, communication relay, engagement control station, the launcher, and power plant equipment.[i]Development of the system first began in 1981 for its original variant, the Tien-Kung I, and was deployed in 1993 with a semi-active radar homing seeker for missile guidance, supported by two CS/MPG-25 target illuminator radars.

NCSIST

The next variant of the system, the Tien-Kung II, was deployed in 1998. The Tien-Kung II included a slightly enlarged modified version of the original, and also replaced the semi-active seeker with an active radar homing seeker for increased range and capability. It is otherwise similar to the Tien-Kung I, relying on the same launcher.

NCSIST

The most current variant is the Tien-Kung III which finished its operational test and evaluation period in 2011.[ii]The system also features a multiple target-tracking capability, Identification, Friend or Foe (IFF) capabilities, target identification and electronic counter-countermeasures (ECCM).[iii]It also has a higher effective range due to its solid propellants.

Source: missiledefenseadvocacy.org

Hsiung Feng III

The Hsiung Feng III is a supersonic anti-ship cruise missile. It is Taiwan’s first supersonic missile, and has an operational range between 120-150 km. It is the third and latest variant developed within Taiwan’s Hsiung Feng cruise missile family, following the Hsiung Feng II.

Specifications

The Hsiung Feng III is 6.1 meters in length, with a body diameter of 0.46 m, and a launch weight of approximately 1500 kg. The missile carries a single 120 kg high explosive, semi-armor piercing warhead. The Hsiung Feng III is believed to have a range of between 120-150 km. The missile is propelled by a solid-fueled booster and liquid-fueled ramjet engine.

NCSIST

The missile is guided by INS with terminal active radar homing. It is reportedly equipped with a smart fuse designed to direct most of the explosive energy downward once it has detected that the missile is inside the target ship’s hull, maximizing damage.

NCSIST

Source: missilethreat.csis.org