The Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology is to hold a series of missile tests this month at a range in Pingtung County’s Jioupeng Bay (九鵬灣) to further enhance and develop Taiwan’s far-strike capabilities, a source familiar with the matter said on Saturday.
The institute would be testing a missile’s maximum or “infinite” altitude, indicating that it might be testing a new missile, the source said on condition of anonymity.
In April, the institute also conducted “infinite” altitude tests.
At that time, experts surmised that the institute was testing the increased range capabilities of the Tien Kung-III missile.
In response to questions from Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chao Tien-lin (趙天麟) in March, institute deputy director Leng Chin-hsu (冷金緒) said that the institute had one land-based missile ready for mass production and three projects under development.
According to the source, the land-based missile ready for mass production is the Hsiung Feng II-E missile: the basic version with a range of 600km and the surface-to-surface cruise missile version with a range of 1,000km.
“The missile tests are to be conducted on Thursday and Friday, as well as on Monday and Tuesday next week,” the source added.
The institute said that a danger zone has been established for the tests, including the “far seas” off the coast of Yilan County’s Suao Township (蘇澳) and the north side of Orchid Island (Lanyu, 蘭嶼).
The Ocean Affairs Council, Council of Agriculture, Council of Indigenous Peoples, and Ministry of Transportation and Communications have been notified, it said.
The danger zone should be avoided by ships and aircraft, the institute added.
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