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| The Indigenous Hsiung Feng 3 "Carrier Killer" Anti-Ship Missile |
By WENDELL MINNICK
TAIPEI — Taiwan’s efforts to develop and produce a variety of munitions spring from two fears: fear of China and fear that Washington will fail to live up to its promises to provide arms in the event of a Chinese invasion. The weapons efforts also stimulate the economy of the self-governing island, said a Ministry of National Defense (MND) source.
The latest such weapon is the Wan Chien (Ten Thousand Swords), Taiwan’s first joint standoff weapon, which was unveiled in January. Modeled after the US-built AGM-154 and the European-built Storm Shadow, the missile is meant to allow Taiwan’s Indigenous Defense Fighter (IDF) to attack runways. This will allow Taiwan to take any fight with China “downtown,” said one former US defense official. The IDF is currently waiting to begin upgrades of its second wing to handle the Wan Chien. The first wing of IDFs finished its mid-life upgrade program last year, said the MND source.
Local defense industry and MND sources note that Washington withheld the sale of new F-16 fighter aircraft to Taiwan due to political pressure from China. Taiwan lodged the request to buy 66 F-16C/D Block 50/52 aircraft in 2006. The aircraft would have supplemented Taiwan’s 146 F-16A/B Block 20s, which are to be upgraded under a 2009 US package.
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