Taiwan test fires anti-ship cruise missile - Report

The Watcher

New Member
I know many countries friendly to Taiwan will be looking for this missile. How does it fair against Yakhont missiles?

From DefenceTalk.com

Naval Forces
Taiwan test fires anti-ship cruise missile - Report


URL of this article:
http://www.defencetalk.com/news/publish/
Jan 7, 2005, 23:15
Taiwan has successfully test-fired its Hsiung Feng III supersonic anti-ship missile in a major military technology breakthrough expected to beef up the island’s defense capabilities against rival China, it was reported here Jan. 7.

The Taipei-based China Times cited defense sources as saying the military-run Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology had conducted “more than one†test-firing for the new missile after a decade-long development.

It said the first test was held in November in southern Taiwan, following several failures in the past two years due to engine problems.

Hsiung Feng III is believed to outperform China’s Russia-made SS-N-22 Sunburn supersonic anti-ship missile, the report said.

It said the missile, with a range of 300 kilometers (186 miles), was likely to be deployed along Taiwan’s eastern coast or offshore islands.

The defense ministry declined to comment on the report.

According to a report in Jane’s Defense Weekly last year, Hsiung Feng III’s propulsion system compromises a ramjet engine with a solid-fuel rocket booster.

The supersonic vehicle can be fitted with a variety of guidance systems and function as an anti-ship, land-attack or anti-radar missile.

Taiwan is striving to boost its missile defense capabilities to counter the military threat from China, which officials said is targeting the island with some 600 ballistic missiles.

In June, the cabinet approved a special budget of 610.8 billion Taiwan dollars ($18.2 billion) to purchase weaponry from Washington over a 15-year period starting in 2005.

The arms package, pending final approval by parliament, includes eight conventional submarines, a modified version of the Patriot anti-missile system and a fleet of anti-submarine aircraft.

The massive budget proposal has stirred heated debate on the island as critics said the spending could further provoke China and heighten cross-strait tensions.
 

Salman78

New Member
The Watcher said:
I know many countries friendly to Taiwan will be looking for this missile. How does it fair against Yakhont missiles?
The Hsiung Feng-III is said to have a range of around 600 kilometers and a speed of over Mach 2, while the Sunburn, which also travels at twice the speed of sound, is reportedly limited in range to 240 kilometers.

Hsiung Feng-III is a vertically launched missile.


The supersonic P-800 Yakhont (Gem) is a ramjet version of P-80 Zubr [SS-N-7 Starbright].The firing range reaches 300 km (162 nmi.) when flying along a combined trajectory and 120 kg (265 lb.)

Hsiung Fent III vs Yakhont --- Stack it up:D
 

doggychow14

New Member
The Hsiung Feng-III is said to have a range of around 600 kilometers and a speed of over Mach 2, while the Sunburn, which also travels at twice the speed of sound, is reportedly limited in range to 240 kilometers.
Link please? Sunburn's range is only 120km. I think the new Sovs Russia is building for Russia has an improved sunburn with 200 km range. But 600 km. That's more twice the range of the yakhont. I doubt Taiwan would have the capability to make such a huge jump of the HF-II. The only possible help they could get is from the US, but the US isnt experienced in high range supersonic anti ship missiles. Maybe you got it confused with a LCM?
 
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