Taiwan to showcase indigenous supersonic anti-ship missile Hsiung Feng III at Paris Air Show 2105153

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Paris Air Show 2015
International Paris Air Show
15 - 21 June 2015
Paris - Le Bourget, France
 
 
Taiwan to showcase indigenous supersonic anti-ship missile Hsiung Feng III at Paris Air Show
 
Taiwan's indigenous weapon systems, including its latest supersonic anti-ship missile Hsiung Feng III, will be showcased at the Paris Air Show next month, the developer said Thursday. Speaking at a legislative session, Chang Kuan-chun, president of the stated-owned National Chung-Shan Institute of Science & Technology (CSIST), said Taiwan's participation in the show June 15-21 is aimed at exploring opportunities to introduce locally produced key weapon modules into international supply chains.
     
Taiwan's indigenous weapon systems, including its latest supersonic anti-ship missile Hsiung Feng III , will be showcased at the Paris Air Show next month, the developer said Thursday. Speaking at a legislative session, Chang Kuan-chun, president of the stated-owned National Chung-Shan Institute of Science & Technology (CSIST), said Taiwan's participation in the show June 15-21 is aimed at exploring opportunities to introduce locally produced key weapon modules into international supply chains. CSIST's Hsiung Feng III supersonic anti-ship missile
     
To this end, the state-owned CSIST and Aerospace Industrial Development Corp (AIDC) will display several of Taiwan’s latest weapon systems at the show, Chang said.

The weapons will include the Hsiung Feng III supersonic anti-ship missiles and Tien Kung III surface-to-air missiles developed by CSIST, he said.

Hsiung Feng III uses two solid rocket boosters and a liquid propelled ramjet, accelerating the missile to a cruising speed of Mach 2.5-3.0. Its range is about 80 nautical miles (150 km), with minimum attack range of 16 nm (30 km).

Chang said it is easier to sell key modules abroad, as that involves mainly technology issues, while the sale of actual weapon systems involves matters related to national defense, technology, regional stability and diplomacy.

In response to a question by ruling Kuomintang Legislator Lin Yu-fang, Chang said Taiwan would need the approval of the countries that supply key spare parts and components for the weapons before it could sell the systems to other countries.

Lin said Taiwan's participation in the upcoming air show will give the country greater prestige as it will demonstrate Taiwan’s capability to develop advanced weapon systems.

However, he said, Taiwan cannot fully produce the Hsiung Feng III on its own, so if someone at the show wants to order the anti-ship missiles, the United States will have to be involved because it is the component supplier.

Taiwanese Minister of National Defense Kao Kuang-chi also said that if Taiwan intends to sell weapons, legal and national security issues will have to be taken into consideration.