DEFENSE / Range-extended Patriot system acquisition on schedule: Air Force

Taipei, Oct. 4 (CNA) Taiwan's acquisition of range-extended Patriot missile systems from the United States is on track, the Air Force said Saturday.

All work is proceeding as scheduled under the Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA), the Air Force Command Headquarters told CNA without providing further details. The Liberty Times had earlier reported that the PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) systems are expected to arrive before year-end.

Taiwan signed an agreement with Washington in March 2021 to acquire the MSE systems, with two batches to be delivered in 2025 and 2026. The range-extended missiles use a two-pulse solid rocket motor, allowing them to reach greater range and altitude than the standard PAC-3 system.

Chou Yu-ping (周宇平), a retired Air Force officer, said the upgraded PAC-3 MSE can target ballistic missiles at greater distances and higher altitudes, broadening Taiwan's air defense coverage.

While Taiwan's domestic Sky Bow missile system -- showcased at the Taipei Aerospace and Defense Technology Exhibition in September -- intercepts at around 70 km, the MSE's interception altitude falls between the existing Patriot PAC-3 and Sky Bow systems, he added.

Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲), a division director at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said Taiwan should continue purchasing more range-extended PAC-3 MSE missiles to counter a range of threats, including high-altitude attacks and low-flying drones.