Taiwan aims to increase the production of locally developed missile systems, including the Hsiung Feng III (pictured here at Kaohsiung International Maritime and Defence Exhibition 2018). (Janes/Ridzwan Rahmat)
Taiwan's state-run military research and development organisation, the National Chung-Shang Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST), has expanded its capacity to produce indigenous missiles in the face of rising tensions with China.
The project is aligned to a multi-year investment plan – approved by Taiwan's Legislative Yuan in January – to enhance the capability of the island's navy and air force.
The Ministry of National Defense (MND) in Taipei said in a report submitted to the Legislative Yuan on 3 March that the expansion of NCSIST's missile manufacturing capacity has been under way for the past few years and will be complete in June 2022.
Citing the MND report, Taiwan's state-run Central News Agency (CNA) said that since 2018 the NCSIST has invested TWD7 billion (USD249 million) to upgrade and expand 80 “missile-related facilities”. It added that NCSIST has completed upgrades on 50 missile facilities.
Once complete, the upgrade will facilitate an expected increase in capacity of more than three-fold in terms of locally manufactured missiles.
The production of several indigenous systems is expected to be boosted by the upgrade project. These include ramjet-powered Hsiung Feng III (‘Brave Wind‘: HF IIE) anti-ship missiles; Tien Chien II N (‘Sky Sword II') medium-range surface-to-air missiles; and Tien-Kung III (‘Sky Bow III‘) surface-to-air missiles.
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