Taiwan is going ahead on its project to improve the performance of Patriot missiles, a low-altitude core air defense network, amid a series of Chinese military provocations. The Taiwanese government’s “hedgehog strategy,” which fortifies the entire island in response to the high-intensity threat from the Chinese military, is gaining momentum with support from the U.S. Citing a senior military official, the Liberty Times and other Taiwanese news outlets reported on the 9th that the Taiwanese government will begin to upgrade its core air defense network, the Patriot Advanced Capability-2 (PAC-2) missiles to the latest PAC-3 missiles.
It is known that there are Patriot missiles currently deployed to 12 locations, including Taipei. This 5-year project aims to improve problems and maintain the performance of the Patriot air defense system. It also includes the support for GEM (Guidance Enhanced Missile) and on-site testing and inspection of the PAC-3 missiles.
According to Taiwanese military officials, this project will upgrade the existing radar performance and missile software to the GEM-T, which focuses on intercepting enemy ballistic missiles at a distance of 600 kilometers, and GEM-C, which intercepts targets flying at low altitudes such as cruise missiles. The Patriot, a low-altitude missile defense system, is considered a key anti-aircraft weapon in Taiwan along with the Tien Kung 3 missile, the Taiwanese version of the THAAD.
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense plans to force integrate 300 PAC-3 MSE models, purchased at the end of March 2021, by 2026. As the legislature passed a special budget amendment worth $236.9 billion for maritime and air force improvement projects in January, eight sectors, including Taiwan’s Tomahawk cruise missiles and unmanned aircraft and vessels with a maximum range of 1,200 km over the course of 5 years.
On the 7th, the U.S. government approved the sales of weapons worth $100 million to support the service of the Patriot missile project in Taiwan. This is the second sale after the initial $750 million sales in August 2021. The United States doesn’t sell its weapons to anyone. This level of export signifies an alliance or an equal level of trust in the relationship. Taiwan’s position was clearly stated, “We will firmly defend our national security against China’s continued military provocations and deepen the security partnership with the United States.”
Meanwhile, China came out with a strong response, “Please withdraw from the weapons sales and abide by the one-China policy.” During the Lunar New Year holiday and the opening of the Beijing Winter Olympics, the People’s Liberation Army staged “training exercises” provoking Taiwan. Military tensions are rising as, on January 23rd, China’s air force flew 39 warplanes into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ), this being the largest number since last October.
Original article: https://www.jayupress.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=2346
