DEFENSE / Taiwan's newest Sky Bow missile system enters mass production: NCSIST

Taipei, Sept. 18 (CNA) Taiwan's enhanced version of the Tien Kung III surface-to-air missile system has entered mass production, the head of the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) confirmed Wednesday.

NCSIST President Li Shih-chiang (李世強) told reporters at a pre-opening press event for the Taipei Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition 2025 (TADTE) that the decision to display the system indicated it has already entered mass production.

It was the first time the missile, its launcher, and associated radar were shown publicly.

Li said that Taiwan's air defense does not rely on a single weapon, but on an integrated system. The enhanced version of Tien Kung III, known also as the NCSIST's Strong Bow (強弓) program, is designed to intercept high-flying cruise missiles and ballistic missiles at a maximum altitude of 70 kilometers, Li said.

Other air defense missiles will continue to counter threats at lower levels, he said.

Lu Chien-sheng (盧健勝), deputy head of the Sky Bow program, said the enhanced Tien Kung III is a ground-based midcourse defense system aimed at countering Chinese tactical ballistic missiles.

He added that the missile is the first domestically made surface-to-air system equipped with an active electronically scanned array (AESA) fire control system, which provides greater accuracy, situational awareness, and the ability to track and engage multiple targets simultaneously.

It will operate alongside other ground-based defense systems such as existing Tien Kung III and United States-made Patriot PAC-3, which have capabilities to intercept incoming missile threats at lower altitudes, to create a comprehensive defense web for Taiwan, Lu said.

The TADTE runs from Thursday through Saturday at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, with the Ministry of National Defense's Armaments Bureau and the NCSIST among the participants.