US upgrades Taiwan weapons package with newer Patriot missiles

THE US has proposed selling as many as 100 of its most advanced Patriot air defence missiles, along with radar and support equipment, to Taiwan, said a State Department notice obtained by Bloomberg News.

The deal was valued at US$882 million.

The proposal was classified as an enhancement to an earlier 2010 sale to the island, and so technically is not new. The upgrade would not change the overall US$2.81 billion value of that deal, which infuriated China at the time. This led Beijing to halt planned military exchanges with the US.

The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The department’s notice to lawmakers is expected to be printed in the Congressional Record as soon as Tuesday (Dec 6) and will be reviewed by Congress for up to 30 days. 

The new proposal called for as many as 100 hit-to-kill Patriot Pac-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) missiles by defence contractor Lockheed Martin.

These are more advanced than earlier Patriot Pac-3 missiles sent to Taiwan.

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In the notice, the State Department said the Patriot Pac-3 MSE is a “small, highly agile, kinetic kill interceptor for defence against tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and air-breathing threats”. It noted that the new model “represents the next generation in hit-to-kill interceptors and provides expanded battlespace against evolving threats”. 

The new missile improved upon the original hit-to-kill Patriot Pac-3 “with a higher-performance solid rocket motor, modified lethality, more responsible control surfaces and upgraded guidance software”, the department added. 

The proposal also called for M903 Launcher modification kits, missile round trainers and software upgrades to accommodate the new missiles. 

The move would only add to tensions between the US and China, which spiralled in recent months as the Biden administration expressed concern at Beijing’s increasing aggression towards Taiwan. The US said China wanted the capability to invade by 2027.

In the notice, the State Department said the proposed sale would enhance Taiwan’s Patriot missile system “to improve its missile defence capability, defend its territorial integrity, and deter threats for regional stability”. 

Xavier Chang, spokesperson for the Presidential Office in Taipei, said that Taiwan and the US keep in close contact on security issues. He added that the two sides “will disclose information in a timely manner”. BLOOMBERG