The locally developed Hsiung Feng III “Brave Wind” surface-to-surface anti-ship missile is to be put on display abroad for the first time at the International Paris Air Show next month, along with other advanced weaponry and technical equipment produced by the nation’s defense and aerospace industries.
The Taiwan Aerospace Industry Association (TAIA) on Monday said that the international community is interested in the Hsiung Feng III, which has been billed an “aircraft-carrier killer.”
The Tien Kung III “Sky Bow” surface-to-air missile, together with more than 20 other Taiwanese military items and weapons are to be on display at the show, which is to run from June 15 to June 21.
The Aerospace Industrial Development Corp, Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology (CSIST) and Precision Engineering Products are to exhibit at the show.
Government officials said the Ministry of National Defense has given permission to CSIST to attend the show, and the door is open for the institute to present the Hsiung Feng III and other new military weapons it has developed, including several unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones.
Much attention at the show’s Taiwanese section is expected to focus on the two missiles.
Military officials said there have been inquiries from a number of foreign countries about the missiles because of their superior capabilities and test performances.
Unveiled in December last year, the Hsiung Feng III was touted as better and more powerful than its Russian counterpart, the P-270 Moskit.
CSIST staff members at the time said the test results indicated that the missile could penetrate a target ship even without munitions, and that it is capable of changing direction multiple times during its flight.
The missile has two solid rocket boosters and a liquid propelled ramjet, making it capable of accelerating to a cruising speed of between Mach 2.5 and Mach 3.0, with a range of about 80 nautical miles (150km).
The Hsiung Feng III is already deployed on Taiwan’s Chien Kung-class frigates, Ching Chiang-class patrol boats and the Tuo Jiang-class corvette.
The biennial Paris Air Show is the world’s largest aerospace industry commercial event, presenting military and civilian aircraft as well as new weaponry products, and attended by major international manufacturers, military delegates from many nations and arms buyers, associations officials said.
This year’s show would be the first time Taiwan has exhibited advanced weaponry in Paris since the CSIST, which used to be run by the Ministry of National Defense, became a public corporation and Aerospace Industrial Development Corp, which used to be run by the air force, was privatized last year.
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