Taiwan plans NT$22 billion purchase of 200 upgraded anti-ship missiles
Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense will spend NT$22 billion to acquire about 200 improved Hsiung Feng II and III missiles between next year and 2035.
The Ministry of National Defense has outlined a NT$22 billion programme to buy around 200 enhanced Hsiung Feng II and III anti-ship missiles from next year through 2035, according to an anonymous senior official. Funding will come from the regular defence budget and will supplement the 1,400 missiles already financed under the Sea-Air Combat Power Improvement Plan. The upgraded missiles incorporate sophisticated micro-chip signal-filtering technology designed to defeat electronic interference and achieve first-shot kills against Chinese PLAN destroyers, notably the Type 052D and Type 055 classes.
Military planners anticipate that each hostile warship will require two to four missiles to be neutralised, leading to a projected need for about 1,600 missiles to sustain operations. Continuing production is also seen as a way to keep Taiwan's indigenous missile industry resilient and ready for prolonged conflict, while the navy will employ a mix of US-made Harpoon and domestic Hsiung Feng missiles for layered defence.
Why it matters
The procurement boosts Taiwan's ability to counter Chinese naval threats and sustains its domestic missile industry.
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