Taiwan Military Busy Deploying Missile Defense Network

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, March 06, 2003

Taiwan Military Busy Deploying Missile Defense Network

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To deploy three major missile defense networks in northern, central and southern areas, the Taiwanese military has recently decided to purchase "Patriot" Advanced Capability (PAC-3) missiles from the United States and deploy them around the central and southern metropolitan areas, while in the northern area PAC-2 missiles were disposed last year. So far, the military has selected positions to deploy PAC-3 mobile missiles in cities including Taichung and Kaohsiung, the first time that the Taiwan military has disposed anti-missile systems outside the Taipei area.

Some Taiwanese media reported that the Chinese mainland is intensifying military threats to Taiwan by increasing a certain number of ballistic missiles annually. A US defense official also noted that there might have been a certain number of missiles targeted at Taiwan by 2005.

In response to the US "appeal", Taiwan authorities claimed that in order to avoid the mainland's missile attack, they would take necessary measures to gain defense arms and systems, purchasing defense forces and building anti-missile systems as soon as possible. The United States urged Taiwan to purchase PAC-3 missiles produced by Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company or "arrow" missile intercepting systems co-developed by the United States and Israel.

According to Taiwanese "Defense Minister" Tang Yiau-ming, the military has established a project group engaged in developing and planning the island's overall missile defense system, in a bid to attain the goal of effective defense within 10 years.

As the Taiwanese military formally finished deploying PAC-2 missiles last year, three sets of "Patriot" PAC-2 missile systems have all been positioned for war preparation task. Taiwan military declared that anti-missile defense network has formally taken shape in the Taipei area. The system, as the military professed, could launch two such missiles in a short time, coupled with an 80-percent success rate in intercepting a ballistic missile.

As for the PAC-3 missile deployment project, sources say the Taiwanese military has now accomplished survey and selection of "Patriot" mobile missile positions in the central and southern areas. Since the mid-1990s, Taiwan authorities have made efforts to acquire US PAC-3 missiles, since "Patriot" missiles are capable of mobile deployment and flexible operation, with combat experience in the Gulf War. Besides, they might be used as main weaponry in the possible US-led war against Iraq. If Taiwan was attacked by the mainland's missiles, "Patriot" missiles would immediately enter mobile positions, conducting effective interception and stopping the mainland's military operation.

Moreover, the Administration Plan 2003 submitted by the "Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense" to the "Executive Yuan" said, "Any attacks on the mainland targets and its coastal warships and shooting before our anti-warship missiles are put in alert combat readiness should be approved by the department of staff." It is the first time that the Taiwanese military has clearly put forward the operation plan to attack the mainland targets when clashing with the Chinese mainland.

By PD Online Staff Zhu Lizhen

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