- Shoulder-launched Stinger missiles are in excessive demand to be used towards Russians in Ukraine.
- However ramping up manufacturing of the growing older air-defense missile will take time, its producer says.
- Taiwan mentioned Tuesday that Stingers it ordered from the US may not be delivered this yr.
Taiwan is cautious of one more delay in supply of US weapons, together with shoulder-launched missiles, as Ukraine seeks extra arms from the West to repel Russia’s invasion.
The island’s army admitted on Tuesday it may not be capable of take supply this yr of Stinger missiles on order from the US.
“There could also be a danger of delayed supply of the moveable Stinger missiles this yr resulting from adjustments within the worldwide scenario,” Chu Wen-wu, deputy head of the army’s military planning division, mentioned on Tuesday.
He mentioned the military would do all it may to make sure the weapons had been delivered on time in response to the phrases of the contract.
Taiwan has ordered 250 Raytheon Applied sciences’ Stinger air-defence programs at a price of NT$7.26 billion (US$246 million) to be delivered between 2022 and 2026, a deal authorized by former US president Donald Trump in 2019.
The missiles have been in nice demand in Ukraine, the place they’ve helped to maintain Russian plane at bay, however US provides have shrunk and there are hurdles to creating extra.
US Military/Sgt. Thomas Mort
Raytheon mentioned it had wound down manufacturing in recent times because the Pentagon had regarded to extra trendy programs, and it may not be capable of ramp up output till subsequent yr.
“We’re actively attempting to supply a number of the materials, however sadly [the Department of Defence] hasn’t purchased a Stinger in 18 years,” chief government Greg Hayes was quoted by web site Defence Information as saying on Wednesday.
“So far as the Stingers, we must always take note we’re at present producing Stingers for a global buyer, however now we have a really restricted inventory of fabric for Stinger manufacturing.”
The short-range, heat-seeking, surface-to-air missile entered service in 1981 and has been utilized by the US and 29 different international locations. In keeping with information experiences, the US has up to now shipped greater than 1,400 Stingers to Ukraine.
Earlier this month, the US Military mentioned it needed to start growing a alternative for the missile and would begin testing at the very least one prototype design by the top of the 2023 monetary yr.
Deliveries of different US weapons to Taiwan is also affected.
The island’s defence ministry has been notified that subsequent yr’s anticipated supply of M109A6 Paladin medium self-propelled howitzer artillery programs could be delayed till 2026 resulting from further demand.
In August final yr, the White Home authorized the sale of 40 of the howitzers and associated gear at an estimated price of US$750 million to Taiwan.
US Military Spc. Gregory Gieske
The US State Division mentioned at the moment the approval was meant to help the island’s persevering with efforts to modernise its armed forces and keep a reputable defensive functionality within the face of rising army threats from Beijing — which views Taiwan as its territory topic to its management by drive if crucial.
The howitzers can hearth eight projectiles a minute at a spread of 30km (18 miles).
Taiwan’s defence ministry later mentioned the US had provided some long-range precision strike weapon programs such because the Excessive Mobility Artillery Rocket Programs as alternate options for the delayed deal.
On Tuesday, Chu mentioned the military was weighing its choices.
“Concerning the alternate options, the defence ministry and the military are making an total evaluation,” he mentioned, including so long as the weapons had been capable of reinforce the fight energy of the army, they might be listed because the choices for his or her consideration.
Ministry spokesman Solar Li-fang mentioned supply plans for different US weapons, together with M1A2T Abrams tanks and superior F16V fighter jets, had been unchanged.
“The progress of the tank supply is regular,” he mentioned, including the air drive had been in shut contact with the US to verify the fighter jets arrived in Taiwan on schedule.
Below the plans, the US was to ship 108 Abrams tanks to Taiwan by 2027 and 66 F-16Vs by 2026.
