Taiwan Completes Development of Sky Sword III

 The Taiwan/Republic of China’s National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) has successfully developed the Sky Sword III air-to-air missile according to a high-ranking government official. The Sky Sword III has a range of between 120km and 150km and can travel faster than the previous variant, the Sky Sword II. The Sky Sword II travels as far as 60km at Mach 4 while an extended-range variant could reach 100km at Mach 6. 

The Sky Sword II has been a part of the nation’s air defence network with anti-radiation, surface-launched, and ship-launched variants in service across the military. Full-scale production of the Sky Sword III is expected to begin in 2024. It will complement the American-made AN/TWQ-1 Avenger missile system and fill the gaps of Taiwan’s air defences via a “layered interception” effect.

In November, the TC-2 air defence system which fires 16-20 Sky Sword II projectiles is by now in full production following a successful second round of evaluations after initially failing the first. The ROC Army is planning to procure 30 units of the mobile missile launchers and related equipment along with 246 Sky Sword II missiles for USD278 million. shp/adj/dl (Pix:National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology)