Taiwan missile to target Chinese air bases, ports: report

AFP via Space Daily ^ | 11/02/2010 | AFP via Space Daily

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

Taiwan is developing a potent missile system that can strike airfields and harbours on the mainland, in a bid to nip a Chinese invasion in the bud, local media said Tuesday. The "Wan Chien" or "Ten Thousand Swords" missile system, which so far has cost nearly three billion Taiwan dollars (97 million US), passed an initial operating test earlier this year, said Defence Technology Monthly.

Each missile carries more than 100 cluster bomb warheads capable of blowing dozens of small craters in airport runways, making them impossible to use, the magazine said.

The missile is also designed to target harbours, missile and radar bases, as well as troop build-up areas prior to an invasion of the island, the magazine said.

The defence ministry is planning to invest 15 billion Taiwan dollars in 2011 and 2012 to equip its Indigenous Defence Fighters (IDFs) with the new system, it said.

The system could go into mass production after it is integrated with the IDF jets to reduce the risks of having to send Taiwanese jets to the mainland, as it can aim at Chinese targets from a distance, it added.

[fortheDeclaration]

I think they better stop annoying China, if China wants to take the Island, it will, unless we stop them.

[ClayinVA]

this is a nice little system to interrupt China’s resupply ops if they do try an invasion. Taiwan also needs a crap-pot of anti-shipping missiles to kill the troop carriers. China is not yet ready to invade, they don’t have the amphib ships and the naval power needed to do the landing. I am not sure anyone could pull off a D-Day style landing anymore, even the US. Tin-pot destroyers with a 5 inch gun are not going to cut it against modern defences.

[dfwgator]

China will simply buy Taiwan out, they won’t have to fire a shot.