DEFENSE/Taiwan military issues public tenders for new anti-ship missile bases

Taipei, Feb. 29 (CNA) Taiwan's military issued two public notices this week to invite tenders for the building of new military bases in southern Taiwan to house anti-ship missile squadrons that will be established after the military takes delivery of Harpoon missiles from the United States.

According to a tender notice issued by the Naval Fleet Command on Tuesday, the command has invited tenders to build new military bases in Pingtung County and Kaohsiung City with a total budget of NT$1.8 billion (US$56.9 million).

Earlier Thursday, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) published a separate notice for tenders to build a new military base in southern Tainan City with a total budget of NT$1.6 billion.

Neither the Naval Fleet Command nor the MND provided more details in the two tender notices, but a source familiar with the issue told CNA Thursday that once completed the new bases will house the new anti-ship missile squadrons under the Naval Fleet Command.

The target completion date for these new bases is set at 2027 in the tender notices.

According to the unnamed source, Taiwan's military expects to establish six new bases for the Naval anti-ship missile squadrons in the coming years, one each in Taitung, Yunlin, Tainan and Kaohsiung, and two in Pingtung.

These are considered to be ideal locations for anti-ship missile bases to counter People's Liberation Army warships off eastern Taiwan, the source added.

However, the Navy has never made public how many anti-ship missile squadrons it currently has.

The new squadrons are expected to be equipped with U.S.-made Harpoon Coastal Defense Systems Taiwan bought from the U.S. in 2020, the source added.

In 2020, the U.S. approved the sale of 100 sets of shore-mounted Harpoon missile systems to Taiwan. This package included 400 RGM-84L-4 Harpoon Block II missiles, 4 RTM-84L-4 Harpoon Block II maneuver missiles, 100 Harpoon Coastal Defense System Launcher Transporter Units, 25 radar trucks, and other related equipment and logistics support.

Taiwan's military is expected to take delivery of the U.S.-made Harpoon Coastal Defense Systems before the end of 2028.