The US’ announcement of an arms sales package to Taiwan that includes one of the most advanced missiles in service on US warplanes underlines Washington’s trust in Taipei, a military expert said.
The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency on Wednesday announced a US$619 million package that includes 100 AGM-88B high-speed anti-radiation missiles (HARM), 23 HARM training missiles, 200 AIM-120C-8 advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles (AMRAAM), four AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM guidance systems and 26 LAU-129 multipurpose launchers for F-16 jets.
If approved by the US Congress, the package would mark the first time the US has sold Taiwan the AIM-120C-8 missiles, which are also fielded on advanced US jets including the F/A-18, F-22 and F-35.
Photo: Ann Wang, Reuters
Institute of National Defense and Security Research fellow Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲) said the package has political significance in that the AIM-120C-8 is deployed on some of the US’ most advanced aircraft.
This demonstrates the deepening bilateral ties between the nations, and the trust the US has in Taiwan, he said.
The AIM-120C-8 missile — which features a two-way data link and improved navigation using a GPS-enhanced inertial measurement unit — is often deployed on planes in combination with AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles for short to mid-range combat. It is also used by Japan’s air force.
Su said the missile features a greatly increased range of 160km — about 1.5 times that of the previous AIM-120C-7 missile.
Its expanded no-escape envelope and high-angle off-boresight capability mean that enemy aircraft within firing range are less likely to escape, he said.
While a pilot traditionally has to lock on to the tail of an enemy aircraft using a targeting system before initiating a strike, the off-boresight launch capability allows pilots to fire the missiles at extreme angles, he said.
This capability, coupled with a helmet-mounted cueing system, means that pilots would no longer need a clear line of sight on a target, and would be able to fire a missile at an enemy aircraft flanking them just by looking over their shoulder, he said.
Taiwan first acquired 50 AGM-88B missiles from the US during former US president Donald Trump’s administration, he said.
With the addition of the proposed 100 AGM-88B missiles, it would bolster the air force’s ability to target Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) coastal radar stations, communications stations and marine radars, he said.
Although identified in the announcement as simply AGM-88B, it is widely believed that the missiles being proposed for sale are upgraded units from the 2018 HARM control section modification program that reportedly have an increased range of 180km.
Chieh Chung (揭仲), an associate research fellow with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) think tank National Policy Foundation, said that the Ministry of National Defense “took a step in the right direction” by seeking to purchase the missiles, as it would expand Taiwan’s arsenal and be an effective deterrent against PLA warships and aircraft.
The AGM-88B missile would allow the air force to target the radar systems on PLA ships during war, potentially forcing them to retreat, he said.
They could also be deployed against radar stations along China’s southeastern coast, he added.
If the air force can suppress enemy fire, creating a window for a counterstrike, Indigenous Defense Fighters carrying domestically developed Wan Chien air-to-ground missiles could deter PLA forces from deploying missiles against Taiwanese aircraft, he said.
WANG RELEASED: A police investigation showed that an organized crime group allegedly taught their clients how to pretend to be sick during medical exams Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) and 11 others were released on bail yesterday, after being questioned for allegedly dodging compulsory military service or forging documents to help others avoid serving. Wang, 33, was catapulted into stardom for his role in the coming-of-age film Our Times (我的少女時代). Lately, he has been focusing on developing his entertainment career in China. The New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office last month began investigating an organized crime group that is allegedly helping men dodge compulsory military service using falsified documents. Police in New Taipei City Yonghe Precinct at the end of last month arrested the main suspect,
A cat named Mikan (蜜柑) has brought in revenue of more than NT$10 million (US$305,390) for the Kaohsiung MRT last year. Mikan, born on April 4, 2020, was a stray cat before being adopted by personnel of Kaohsiung MRT’s Ciaotou Sugar Refinery Station. Mikan was named after a Japanese term for mandarin orange due to his color and because he looks like an orange when curled up. He was named “station master” of Ciaotou Sugar Refinery Station in September 2020, and has since become famous. With Kaohsiung MRT’s branding, along with the release of a set of cultural and creative products, station master Mikan
LITTORAL REGIMENTS: The US Marine Corps is transitioning to an ‘island hopping’ strategy to counterattack Beijing’s area denial strategy The US Marine Corps (USMC) has introduced new anti-drone systems to bolster air defense in the Pacific island chain amid growing Chinese military influence in the region, The Telegraph reported on Sunday. The new Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS) Mk 1 is being developed to counter “the growing menace of unmanned aerial systems,” it cited the Marine Corps as saying. China has constructed a powerful defense mechanism in the Pacific Ocean west of the first island chain by deploying weapons such as rockets, submarines and anti-ship missiles — which is part of its anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) strategy against adversaries — the
Eleven people, including actor Darren Wang (王大陸), were taken into custody today for questioning regarding the evasion of compulsory military service and document forgery, the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office said. Eight of the people, including Wang, are suspected of evading military service, while three are suspected of forging medical documents to assist them, the report said. They are all being questioned by police and would later be transferred to the prosecutors’ office for further investigation. Three men surnamed Lee (李), Chang (張) and Lin (林) are suspected of improperly assisting conscripts in changing their military classification from “stand-by
RSS