The United States is considering allowing Taiwan to assemble and produce missiles for the Stinger air defense system domestically to meet Taipei’s needs.
What we know
Amid growing tensions with China, Taiwan plans to purchase nearly 2,000 additional Stinger missiles from the United States.
According to the Liberty Times, a team of US officials plans to visit the National Institute of Science and Technology in Chung Shan, Taiwan, next year to assess the state-owned company’s production capabilities. weapons.
The assessment will focus on the technical, production and cybersecurity capabilities of the institute. If the institute meets US certification standards, production could begin in Taiwan as early as 2026.
In 2019, Taiwan ordered 500 Stingers: 250 for the army and 250 for the navy, with delivery scheduled for 2025. However, rising tensions in the Taiwan Strait have prompted the island to plan a further increase of its missile purchases.
It also plans to purchase 549 systems and 549 friend-or-foe transponders.
The missiles will be delivered in batches until 2031, and the cost of the acquisition will amount to approximately $1.73 billion.
Source: Taiwan News : Taiwan News