Taiwan is expected to begin testing of a cutting-edge high-energy laser system this year, thanks to breakthroughs made possible by “international friends,” a senior official said on Tuesday.
The National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) last year completed research on a low-powered version of a vehicle-mounted laser defense system.
Significant advancements are expected in the coming months, with a 50kW high-energy vehicle-mounted laser expected to enter testing later this year.
Photo courtesy of Kord Technologies
The US military last year delivered four Directed Energy Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense (DE M-SHORAD) prototype systems to the Fourth Battalion, 60th Air Defense Artillery Regiment.
According to the US Army, the 50kW mountable laser weapon is able to neutralize aerial threats through a quiet electronic attack, powered by an onboard thermal and power system that dissipates heat and recharges its batteries.
Earlier this week, US defense media reported that the four DE M-SHORAD prototypes had been sent to the Middle East to test “real-world applicability” operating in dusty conditions.
Many countries are racing to develop 50kW laser weapons systems, which are promising as low-cost defense against drones and slow aircraft.
The NCSIST keeps hitting technological milestones in a short amount of time thanks to guidance from international friends, a senior official with knowledge of the matter said on Tuesday.
The 50kW version is already suitable for combat, and could hopefully begin orders soon as another key weapons system that is produced domestically, the official added.
Twenty-four Republican members of the US House of Representatives yesterday introduced a concurrent resolution calling on the US government to abolish the “one China” policy and restore formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Led by US representatives Tom Tiffany and Scott Perry, the resolution calls for not only re-establishing formal relations, but also urges the US Trade Representative to negotiate a free-trade agreement (FTA) with Taiwan and for US officials to advocate for Taiwan’s full membership in the UN and other international organizations. In a news release announcing the resolution, Tiffany, who represents a Wisconsin district, called the “one China” policy “outdated, counterproductive
Actress Barbie Hsu (徐熙媛) has “returned home” to Taiwan, and there are no plans to hold a funeral for the TV star who died in Japan from influenza- induced pneumonia, her family said in a statement Wednesday night. The statement was released after local media outlets reported that Barbie Hsu’s ashes were brought back Taiwan on board a private jet, which arrived at Taipei Songshan Airport around 3 p.m. on Wednesday. To the reporters waiting at the airport, the statement issued by the family read “[we] appreciate friends working in the media for waiting in the cold weather.” “She has safely returned home.
ON PAROLE: The 73-year-old suspect has a criminal record of rape committed when he was serving in the military, as well as robbery and theft, police said The Kaohsiung District Court yesterday approved the detention of a 73-year-old man for allegedly murdering three women. The suspect, surnamed Chang (張), was arrested on Wednesday evening in connection with the death of a 71-year-old woman surnamed Chao (趙). The Kaohsiung City Police Department yesterday also unveiled the identities of two other possible victims in the serial killing case, a 75-year-old woman surnamed Huang (黃), the suspect’s sister-in-law, and a 75-year-old woman surnamed Chang (張), who is not related to the suspect. The case came to light when Chao disappeared after taking the suspect back to his residence on Sunday. Police, upon reviewing CCTV
TRUMP ERA: The change has sparked speculation on whether it was related to the new US president’s plan to dismiss more than 1,000 Joe Biden-era appointees The US government has declined to comment on a post that indicated the departure of Laura Rosenberger as chair of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT). Neither the US Department of State nor the AIT has responded to the Central News Agency’s questions on the matter, after Rosenberger was listed as a former chair on the AIT’s official Web site, with her tenure marked as 2023 to this year. US officials have said previously that they usually do not comment on personnel changes within the government. Rosenberger was appointed head of the AIT in 2023, during the administration of former US president Joe