Posted on 01/06/2005 2:50:29 PM PST by Oorang
Washington, Jan. 4 (CNA) Taiwan will purchase more than 400 Hellfire missiles from the United States, worth a total of about US$50 million, American defense industry sources said Tuesday. Lockheed Martin Corp. said in a news release that the company will produce over 600 AGM-114M and AGM-114K Hellfire missiles in line with its contract with the U.S. Army.
According to an agreement between Taiwan and the U.S. Army, the press statement said, 70 percent of those air-to-ground missiles will be sold to Taiwan. The statement further said that 5 percent to 10 percent of the Hellfire missiles will be delivered to Israel and the rest will be used by the U.S. Army.
Lockheed Martin Corp. said the company has begun producing the missiles and is scheduled to complete production in six months.
Mark Stenger, director of Lockheed Martin Corp.'s air-to-ground missile system planning department, said Hellfire missiles are accurate and that their efficacy has been verified in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Noting that Hellfire missiles can be used to strike ships, light armored vehicles and buildings, Stenger said what Taiwan will acquire will be the world's best air-to-ground weaponry system. Hellfire missiles can be installed on gunships such as Apache helicopters.
With the acquisition of Hellfire missiles, Lockheed Martin sources said, Taiwan's armed forces can easily get in touch or conduct joint operations with U.S. overseas ground forces, marines and special service forces. The Hellfire missile functions like a miniature aircraft, complete with its own guidance computer, steering and propulsion system. The payload is a high-explosive, copper-lined-charge powerful enough to burn through the heaviest tank armor in existence. (By Oliver Lin and Sofia Wu)
Is Taiwan contemplating a covert pre-emptive strike?
I'll tell you what the People's Totalitarian Regime of China thinks of it: They hope
1. the deal goes through and
2. The U.S. will sit on its hands when mainland China invades Taiwan....so the Reds get control of the missles. Without even donating more $ to the Clintonistas/DNC.
I have no idea but I wouldn't be surprised if there is a back room poker game in the works.
No doubt. W has brass bolas, and he is making sure the ChiComs know that.
I sure hope the ChiComs see that. Between them and the N. Koreans recent bluster, well, things could get a little "heated".
Thanks for the informative link.
As I understand it they already have 6 PACIIIs on order. A PACIII battery consists of 6 to 8 launchers each with 8 missiles. So at the minimum they have 48*6=288 missiles. Also part of the order is 12 PS-Orions. These can carry mines, torpedoes or Harpoon anti ship missiles. I gather there is also talk of two Aegis calls destroyers and up to 8 diesel electric subs.
As I understand it they already have 6 PACIIIs on order. A PACIII battery consists of 6 to 8 launchers each with 8 missiles. So at the minimum they have 48*6=288 missiles. Also part of the order is 12 PS-Orions. These can carry mines, torpedoes or Harpoon anti ship missiles. I gather there is also talk of two Aegis class destroyers and up to 8 diesel electric subs.
IMHO, the best course (and the cheapest in the long run) would be rapid nuclearization of Taiwan coupled with some advanced rocketry in 2500 miles range.
You are absolutely right, but I suspect we'd be running afoul of the nuclear non-proliferation act. Not that this has stopped anyone else from getting nuclear weapons. I actually like the idea of Australia, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea buying our weapon systems. Keeps us close politically and as well as financially.
"Wonder what China thinks of this."
I could care less. Taiwan is a free country and the PRC isn't.
China Daily a few days ago said that China would vote to reunify Taiwan with the mainland (without a vote in Taiwan) and that the USA would have to respect that vote.
Obviously, the USA has voted with 400 Hellfire missiles.
Ping - FYI
"Is Taiwan contemplating a covert pre-emptive strike?"
The PRC has made no secret of their intentions to pre-emptively strike Taiwan and the PRC has recently threatened Japan over Japanese sovereignty issues. Taiwan would be fully justified in neutralizing a potential PRC strike force or invasion force by such a belligerent, warmongering, rogue power.
The problem here is; we don't have any diesel electric subs.
I know. I wish we'd sell them a few of the fast attacks we're putting out to pasture. Or even a Ohio Class SSGN.
Wonder what China thinks of this.
I'd say they are figuring out how much it will cost to build 400 more naval assault craft.
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