A defense official says the Tien Kung III and the US-made Patriot PAC-3 will remain the backbone of Taiwan's air defense for the next three to five years. A planned NT$420 billion US arms sale remains unannounced, holding up extended-range PAC-3 and NASAMS deliveries.
The Taipei Times reported on page 3 of its Sunday edition, citing a defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity, that the Tien Kung III (Sky Bow III) and the US-made PAC-3 will remain the core of national air defense for the next three to five years. The Tien Kung III is expected to be the armed forces' main interceptor for at least three years.
광고 문의 · 300×250Production capacity was also disclosed. The National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) has successfully stress-tested sprint production and can build 96 Tien Kung III missiles a year. Taiwan has 13 Tien Kung III missile positions, planned and completed.
Tien Kung IV and Chiang Kung slip to 2028 or later
The problem is what comes next. The Tien Kung IV has been delayed by US arms sales and production constraints, and at current funding NCSIST can begin deliveries no earlier than 2028. The domestically developed Chiang Kung (Strong Bow) program will not enter service before 2028 either.
The Tien Kung IV is seen as the key high-altitude interceptor for the T-Dome, the planned networked air defense matrix covering Taiwan proper. Its vector-thrust maneuverability and high maximum altitude are considered essential against advanced Chinese ballistic missiles. After nearly a year of budget wrangling with the legislature, the Ministry of National Defense decided to fund Tien Kung IV procurement through the annual budget rather than special budgets, and is weighing a NT$13 billion supplementary budget for materials and assembly lines.
Existing sites are ready to take the new missile. Because the Tien Kung III and IV share radars and launch vehicles, the 13 positions can accommodate the Tien Kung IV directly, and an NCSIST-developed air defense battalion battle management system can integrate the Tien Kung III, Tien Kung IV and PAC-3. NCSIST has also transferred technology for more than half of the Tien Kung IV's components to the private sector, including active seeker and AESA parts.
A NT$420 billion US arms sale is the wild card
According to the report, a planned US arms sale worth NT$420 billion (US$12.92 billion) has not yet been announced. The delay is holding up key deliveries, including extended-range PAC-3 missiles and the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS). Until they arrive, the Tien Kung III and PAC-3 must carry the main burden of defending Taiwan's airspace, the official said.
The account rests on an anonymous official's remarks, and the report does not show whether the Ministry of National Defense confirmed it in a formal document. Beijing's position on cross-strait tensions is not addressed in the article.