The Ministry of National Defense plans to begin mass production of the Hai Chien II (Sea Sword) — the shipborne variant of the Tien Chien II (Sky Sword) missile — to bolster the surface fleet’s anti-air capabilities, it said in a report to the Legislative Yuan.
With 96 missiles required to arm all six planned Ta Chiang-class corvettes, another 96 for Taiwan’s six Kangding-class frigates, and 32 for the two planned Yushan-class landing platform docks, 224 missiles would be required, a military source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology should produce the missiles in separate batches to prevent issues related to their deployment and service life, the source said.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
The Sea Sword missiles have a range of 30km to 50km, far outstripping the 8km range of the Sea Chapparal missiles currently used for the Kangding-class frigates, the source said, adding that they are also more accurate.
The Sea Sword system’s capability to determine levels of threat posed by enemies and prioritize targets would significantly improve ships’ regional anti-air capabilities, the source said.
Meanwhile, the ministry’s budget report to the Legislative Yuan included Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawks.
The project, named Shenying 3, is expected to cost NT$27 billion (US$973.25 million) over an unspecified number of years, the source said, adding that the budget also includes sonar systems, electronic warfare suites, MK54 or MK50 torpedoes, anti-surface Hellfire missiles, laser-guided rockets and rotary guns.
The Seahawk helicopters are expected to replace Taiwan’s McDonnell Douglas MD-500 Defenders, and the M and C variants of the Sikorsky S-70 currently being used by the navy.
That the US is willing to push through the sale could perhaps be attributed to the growing threat posed by China’s submarine fleet in the Asia-Pacific region, the source said.
However, a separate source said that the Shenying 3 project might well exceed NT$30 billion, with other costs being listed in a classified budget.
The budget for the program is also subject to change after deliberation at the legislature.
Separately yesterday, Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Tsai Shih-ying (蔡適應) said that Taiwan’s defense spending must increase, as it is being threatened directly by China.
Beijing’s military spending this year is equivalent to about NT$6 trillion, he said, adding that Taiwan’s defense spending has risen by 3 percent, up NT$10.8 billion from last year, and stands at NT$372.6 billion.
Additional reporting by Hsieh Chun-lin
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