Pentagon working to expedite Taiwan Harpoon deliveries: DoD nominee

Washington, Nov. 4 (CNA) The Pentagon is working urgently to expedite the delivery of 100 Harpoon Coastal Defense Systems (HCDS) to Taiwan, a U.S. Department of Defense nominee said Tuesday.

During a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Austin J. Dahmer, nominee for assistant secretary of defense for strategy, plans and forces, was asked about the progress of the Harpoon missile systems sale approved during President Donald Trump's first administration.

Senator Ted Budd noted that only a few of the 100 systems approved have been delivered so far, and asked how the Pentagon plans to ensure timely completion of the deal.

In response, Dahmer said he had visited the Harpoon production line in Missouri to understand broader challenges facing the U.S. defense industrial base.

Regarding the Harpoon order, the Pentagon is "working very urgently and expeditiously" to ensure that Taiwan has the capabilities needed for self-defense, Dahmer said.

The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced the sale of 100 HCDS to Taiwan in 2020.

In a written response, Dahmer said that under Washington's "strategy of denial," the U.S. aims to deter Chinese aggression across the First Island Chain by integrating multiple military capabilities, operational concepts, and deployments.