Taiwan’s deputy defense minister confirms decision to acquire coastal Harpoon missiles

Taiwan’s deputy defense minister Chang Zhe-Ping has confirm to legislators that Taipei has decided to acquire the coastal road-mobile variant of the Boeing Harpoon Block II missile.

A Harpoon is launched from Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG 56) during a live-fire exercise. McCain is participating in Multi-Sail 2014, an annual exercise in the 7th Fleet area of responsibility supporting security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Cryptologic Technician (Maintenance) Seaman Jacob Shankle/Released)


Chang said the missiles should enter service with the Navy’s Hai Feng squadron in 2023.

When asked why the country choose to buy the American weapon when the existing Hsiung Feng II & III missiles are already in service, Chang clarified that studies showed that more missiles are required to destroy 50 percent of the invading force from China. This can only be achieve rapidly by buying new missiles from abroad.

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