China’s plan to purchase Russia’s new S-400 anti-aircraft missile defense system is expected to put Taiwan in greater jeopardy in the case of a Chinese invasion, as the system would likely increase Beijing’s ability to control the skies over the nation and over the Taiwan Strait.
However, Russia’s S-400 system is not enough to stop the US from coming to Taiwan’s aid — if Washington makes that decision — and the US already has classified countermeasures for dealing with it, Global Security think tank director John Pike said.
Russian state weapons export agency Rosoboronexport announced the US$3 billion sale last week.
Defense News reports that the system, with an estimated range of 400km, would allow China to strike any aerial target over Taiwan.
“The S-400 will challenge Taiwan’s ability to conduct air defense operations within its own air defense identification zone, which covers the Taiwan Strait,” Defense News said.
“There’s no doubt that Russia and China would like Taiwan to think this is very bad news,” Pike said.
However, he said that while the S-400 sale should be of “great concern” to Taiwan, it would not be decisive in an actual invasion.
Pike said that if the US decides to defend Taiwan, the S-400 system would not impact that decision and that he was confident the Pentagon could deal with the Russian-made system.
According to Defense News, China’s aging inventory of S-300s — with an estimated range of about 300km — allows it to strike targets only along Taiwan’s northwest coast.
Earlier this year, the Project 2049 Institute said the potential of an S-400 sale to China had “understandably caused something of a panic in Taiwan security circles.”
Research fellow Ian Easton wrote on the Project 2049 Web site that the S-400 threat “may not be as dire as forecast.”
Easton said: “Chinese air defenses are not invulnerable today, not will they be in the future.”
He said that in peacetime, if an S-400 air surveillance radar unit were switched on, it would be subject to immediate interception by Taiwanese signals intelligence units on Dongyin Island (東引), Matsu Island and the Penghu Islands.
It would also be detectable by US and Japanese signals intelligence units on Okinawa, submarines off the Chinese coast and crewed and automated aircraft patrolling in the East China Sea.
Once radar emissions are captured, countermeasures can be developed, Easton added.
China still would not have missile coverage over Taiwan’s air bases at most operational altitudes, and Taiwanese pilots could fly under the S-400’s radar sweep, Easton said.
Also, in case of a full-scale conflict, Chinese S-400 missiles would be susceptible to Taiwanese electronic jamming and cyberwarfare units, anti-radiation drones and cruise missiles.
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday thanked Palau for its continued support of Taiwan's international participation, as Taipei was once again excluded from the World Health Assembly (WHA) currently taking place in Switzerland. "Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan" in the UN General Assembly, the WHO and other UN-affiliated agencies, Lai said during a bilateral meeting with visiting Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. "We have been profoundly touched by these endorsements," Lai said, praising the Pacific island nation's firm support as "courageous." Lai's remarks came as Taiwan was excluded for the ninth consecutive year from the WHA, which is being held in
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
At least three people died and more than a dozen were injured yesterday afternoon when a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽). The incident happened at about 4pm when a car rammed into pedestrians at an intersection near Bei Da Elementary School. Witnesses said the sedan, being driven at a high speed, ran a red light, knocking scooters out of the way and hitting students crossing the road before careening into a median near the intersection of Guocheng and Guoguang streets. The incident resulted in three deaths and 13 injuries, including the driver, a 78-year-old man
RSS