Taiwan expands missile production, launch sites as PLA incursions persist

Maria T. Reyes

Taiwan is bolstering its missile defenses amid increasing threats and incursions by the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) military.

With People’s Liberation Army (PLA) fighter jets frequently entering the self-governed island’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) — and the looming threat of attacks by PLA combat drones and cruise missiles — Taipei has initiated mass production of advanced air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles and is preparing to activate missile launch sites at 12 military bases for new domestically manufactured missiles.

Beijing has threatened to annex Taiwan by force since 1949. Throughout 2023, the PLA deployed warships, fighter jets, drones, bombers and other aircraft around the island of 24 million people, Taiwan’s National Defense Ministry reported. During one 24-hour period in September, a record 103 PLA combat aircraft entered Taiwan’s ADIZ, with the Defense Ministry calling on Beijing to take responsibility and immediately stop such “destructive unilateral actions.”

Taiwan’s enhanced missile capabilities will include the Sky Sword III air-to-air missile and the surface-launched Sky Sword II.

Taiwan plans to equip its Indigenous Defense Fighter (IDF) combat aircraft with the Sky Sword III, a robust air defense armament system with a range of 150 kilometers, according to the Taiwan News, a Taipei newspaper. The Sky Sword II has a range of 60 kilometers and a top speed of about 4,700 kilometers per hour (kph), while the extended-range variant has a range of 100 kilometers and a top speed of about 7,300 kph. In addition, Taiwan’s National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) has developed surface- and ship-launched variants of the missile, as well as an anti-radiation version designed to locate and destroy radar-equipped air defense systems.

Mass production of the Sky Sword II is underway, with the first Sky Sword III missiles expected to be completed in 2024. The air-defense systems, which will be deployed alongside the United States-made Avenger missile system, will provide a “layered interception” effect, officials say.

The twin-engine, multirole IDF is designed and manufactured by Taiwan’s Aerospace Industrial Development Corp. The most recent variant, known as the F-CK-1 Ching-Kuo, was upgraded in 2018 with support from international technology partners, including in the U.S.

Taiwan’s Defense Ministry announced in October 2023 that 12 launch sites will be equipped with the domestically manufactured Sky Bow III by late 2026 to counter the PLA’s ballistic missile threat. The surface-to-air missile system, which also was developed by the NCSIST, can defend against threats including aircraft, cruise missiles, anti-radiation missiles and short-range tactical missiles.

The missile launch sites currently house MIM-23 Hawk and Sky Bow II missiles. The two-phase conversion is projected for completion in 2026.

Maria T. Reyes is a FORUM contributor reporting from Manila, Philippines.