The Hsiung Feng-II anti-ship missile
Posted on 09/02/2007 3:57:02 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
MND budget proves new cruise missile is in development
By Hsu Shao-hsuen
STAFF REPORTER Sunday, Sep 02, 2007, Page 1
Next year's budget request submitted by the Ministry of Defense (MND) to the Legislature yesterday officially revealed for the first time that the nation is developing the Hsiung Feng 3, (雄風三型) or Brave Wind 3 anti-ship missile.
In addition,the MND's Missile Command's increasing expenditure is being seen as an important indicator that large numbers of cruise missile,code-named Hsiung Feng-IIE ,will start production and deployment next year.
Although the defense budget has reached 3 percent of Taiwan's GDP, the military still complains of a lack of money in a report on the five year plan to overhaul the armed forces submitted to the legislature.
The report states that the defense budget still shows a shortfall of NT$153.5 billion (US$4.64 billion) for the period between next year and 2013.
A report by the ministry on China's military strength said that Taiwan's growing democratic awareness and increasing pro-localization stance has meant that China has followed Chinese President Hu Jintao's (胡錦濤) policy to deal with Taiwan by "striving for talks while at the same time preparing to fight."
The report stated that although China's official defense budget is US$44.9 billion, the actual figure is closer to US$85 billion to US$125 billion, making Chinese military expenditure second only to that of the US.
Taiwan's military overhaul means there are plans to acquire a satellite information gathering and communication jamming systems next year and to complete studies of a low flying anti-tactical ballistic missile system this year, the report said.
Next year, the navy will begin purchases of submarine launched anti-ship missiles and develop remote-controlled mines, while the army will purchase a new type of helicopter, it said, adding that Japan will become a new focus in the country's military exchanges.
The Hsiung Feng-II anti-ship missile
Can Taiwan even hit Beijing with the missiles the country has?
Beijing is almost a thousand miles from Taiwan-they would need weapons twice the range of their existing cruise missile,the HF-2E,to have a chance.Along with the submarines to carry them.
Bad news for them.
Shainghai has been within range of Taiwan ever since Reagan jumpstarted them into the nuclear club during his first term.
IMNSHO this latest round of chinese sabre rattling seeks to leverage out an exposure of Taiwan's nuclear capacity in the belief that that will make them less competative with China in certain economic arenas. Certainly China has been aware of Taiwan's nuclear deterrant these pasr 25 years.
Shainghai has been within range of Taiwan ever since Reagan jumpstarted them into the nuclear club during his first term.
IMNSHO this latest round of chinese sabre rattling seeks to leverage out an exposure of Taiwan's nuclear capacity in the belief that that will make them less competative with China in certain economic arenas. Certainly China has been aware of Taiwan's nuclear deterrant these pasr 25 years.
Taiwan desrves the best weapons possible in the face of the “People’s Republic of China.”
The PRC wants to put on its best face for the Olympics next year, but after that all bets are off.
At some point they will be tempted to put the squeeze on for “reunification.”
Didn’t Papa Bush put an end to Taiwan’s nuclear programme??????
http://www.isis-online.org/publications/taiwan/pr121997.html
There is little evidence to prove Reagan did anything substantial for Taiwan’s N-programme.Did he even authorise arms sales to them???
Quiet! We’re not supposed to know about that.
They didn’t kep it very quiet at Kadena in 1983. I’m thinking they wanted to make sure China stayed in their little cage and ran on their wheel.
The ROCs defending themselves is good for freedom. They have to make China understand the cost of an attack would be far too high. It seems to me submarines prowling the pacific armed with missles that can reach all of the
PRC would do the trick.
They only have 2 combat capable submarines now,which are 20 years old & 2 American built world war-2 era boats.There is little chance (as of now) of them getting the 8 subs Bush promised them 7 years ago.
I thought Taiwan had foregone nuclear weapons development, under American pressure, abandoning an active program in the ‘80s. Do you (or anyone else) have a source for more info on the subject?
Besides acknowledged ‘club members’ Israel, India, Pakistan and North Korea, I have read that the Republic of South Africa did an atmospheric test of a device back in the period ‘77-’83, then backed off from further development. Argentina and Brazil are said to have had active nuclear weapons development research programs before abandoning them.
The list of countries capable of quickly ( 2-5 years) developing nuclear weapons includes pretty much the entire first world; countries with high tech manufacturing bases and nuclear power industries. Germany, Japan, Taiwan, S. Korea, Italy, etc.
I would think the only obstacles would be access to fissionable materials and international and domestic political/economic pressures against such development.
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