The nation is on track to achieve a three-year plan to make 150 Wan Chien air-to-ground cruise missiles by the end of this year, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday.
The Wan Chien, a long-range precision-guided weapon utilized by the AIDC F-CK-1 Indigenous Defense Fighters, carries a payload of cluster munition for attacking troop concentrations and air bases, and has a claimed range of 200km, the source said on condition of anonymity.
According to the publicly listed portion of the Sea-Air Combat Power Improvement Plan, the Wan Chien missile production plan is budgeted at NT$370 million (US$11.82 million) to be implemented from 2022 to this year.
Photo: Taipei Times
That means total production would likely reach 150 missiles as the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology has reported being able to make 50 missiles a year.
The nation would then have as many as 200 Wan Chien missiles since the Changshan Institute has previously been making the missiles under a general budget.
Additionally, the Ministry of National Defense has listed a NT$501.745 million budget for manufacturing Wan Chien missiles via a contractor, the source said.
Photo courtesy of the Military News Agency
This budget item most likely referred to an improved version of the Wan Chien that has a range of 400km, they said, adding that air force capabilities would get a significant boost if jets were to receive the extended-range missiles.
The 3rd Tactical Fighter Wing in Taichung and the 1st Tactical Fighter Wing in Tainan — the indigenous defense fighter air wings — have tested the missiles in live-fire drills and expressed satisfaction with the system, the source said.
Separately, the army’s Inspector of Armor has certified a locally produced 105mm rifled gun turret for a planned armored fighting vehicle to be based on the CM32, a defense official said on condition of anonymity.
The turret and its mounted gun demonstrated stability, precision and a hit probability superior to all active service armored fighting vehicles, including tanks, during live-fire trials conducted at the Armor Training Command, the official said.
A non-commissioned female officer — the best gunner to take part in the live-fire trials — had fired multiple shells through the same perforation on a target, the official said.
The Inspector of Armor has also given a score indicating satisfactory performance to the D1 and D2 prototypes for the vehicle that would receive the turret, with the exception that the hulls were 30cm taller than requested.
Meanwhile, a program to develop a 105mm-gun-armed wheeled armored fighting vehicle faces an uncertain future, as the army expects to receive M60A3 Patton and M1A2T Abrams battle tanks next year, they said.
The M60A3, though armed with the same gun, is better protected than the proposed wheeled vehicle, while the M1A2T, which sports a 120mm smooth bore gun and heavy composite armor, is markedly superior in both firepower and protection.
The Armaments Bureau and the 202 Arsenal are nevertheless working hard to roll out a complete 105mm-gun-armed vehicle as they believe the nation needs to have an indigenous ground warfare capability, the official said.
Taiwan last night blanked world No. 1 Japan 4-0 to win the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s (WBSC) Premier12 for the first time. Taiwanese ace Lin Yu-min (林昱珉) held defending champions Japan to just one hit and no runs in the first four innings, before catcher Lin Chia-cheng (林家正) opened the fifth inning with a solo home run. That was soon followed by a three-run homer from Taiwanese captain Chen Chieh-hsien (陳傑憲) to put Taiwan ahead in the prestigious tournament of the world’s top 12 baseball teams. In addition to a superb performance from 21-year-old Arizona Diamondbacks prospect Lin, three more Taiwanese pitchers
SUPPORT: Arms sales to NATO Plus countries such as Japan, South Korea and Israel only have to be approved by the US Congress if they exceed US$25m The US should amend a law to add Taiwan to the list of “NATO Plus” allies and streamline future arms sales, a US commission said on Tuesday in its annual report to the US Congress. The recommendation was made in the annual report by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC), which contained chapters on US-China economic and trade ties, security relations, and Taiwan and Hong Kong. In the chapter on Taiwan, the commission urged the US Congress to “amend the Arms Export Control Act of 1976 to include Taiwan on the list of ‘NATO Plus’ recipients,” referring to
Taiwan yesterday advanced to the gold medal match of the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s (WBSC) Premier12 for the first time in history, despite last night losing 9-6 to Japan. Taiwan advanced after the US defeated Venezuela in the first game on the last day of the Super Round. However, the US had no chance of advancing to the championship game unless it defeated Venezuela by at least nine points. The US won 6-5. As a result, the two teams — who both had one win and two losses in the Super Round — are to face off again in the
Minister of Labor Ho Pei-shan (何佩珊) said she would tender her resignation following criticism of her handling of alleged bullying by Ministry of Labor Workforce Development Agency branch director Hsieh Yi-jung (謝宜容) resulting in the death of an employee. The ministry yesterday gave Hsieh two demerits and said she is subject to review by the Disciplinary Court. The severest possible punishment would be her removal from office and being barred from government jobs indefinitely. Workforce Development Agency Director-General Tsai Meng-liang (蔡孟良) also received a major demerit and was transferred to another position. Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) issued a formal apology
RSS