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Hundreds of missiles placed ¡¥on hold¡¦
as Taiwan awaits US investigation
By J. Michael Cole / Staff reporter
A RIM-7 Sparrow surface-to-air
missile is launched during tests at the Jioupeng military base in Pingtung
County on Jan. 18 last year.
Photo: CNA
Several hundred AIM/RIM-7 Sparrow
air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles (SAM) used by the air force have been
categorized as ¡§for emergency use only¡¨ after three of the US-made missiles
encountered technical failures during an exercise in January last year that left
the military embarrassed.
Following the exercise, in which one RIM-7 climbed about 200m into the air
before plummeting into the South China Sea, while another RIM-7 and one AIM-7
missed their targets, the military requested that US military personnel and
Raytheon Corp, maker of the missile, investigate the reasons for the failures.
The Sparrow is a medium-range, all-weather and semi-active guided missile. Six
hundred AIM-7Ms were part of a 1992 deal in which Taiwan procured 150 F-16A/Bs.
For its part, the RIM-7 SAM is used on towed launchers as part of the Skyguard
Air Defense System. Five hundred entered service in 1991.
As Taiwan awaits a response, the air force has suspended the test-firing of
Sparrow missiles, citing safety concerns.
The US has reportedly asked countries that have Sparrow missiles in their
inventories not to fire them during exercises to diminish training risks. As a
result, no Sparrows were fired during another major missile test in Jioupeng
(¤EÄP), Pingtung County, on July 9, the same base used in last year¡¦s exercise.
Citing sources in the military, local media said earlier this week that US
military personnel had attributed the failure in last year¡¦s exercise to
problems with the missile¡¦s rocket propeller and radar cross section, which
plays an essential role in radar range calculation.
Until answers are received, Taiwan¡¦s stockpile of Sparrow missiles will be kept
in storage.
To address the impact of that decision on air defense capabilities, the military
has reportedly decided to provide two additional battalions with Antelope Air
Defense Systems, which are equipped with the a surface-to-air version of the
domestically produced Tien Chien I missile.
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