An undated photo shows a Lushejian-2 missile fired during a live-fire training exercise at Jiupeng Military Base in Pingtung County. Photo: Tsai Tsung-hsien, Taipei Times
Reported by Luo Tianbin and Finn Khan/staff editors, and another staff editor
The Army plans to commission the National Sun Yat-sen Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) to build a dedicated test facility for its self-developed Lushejian-2 ("Lushejian-2") missile system, with a budget of more than NT$295 million (approximately US$9.27 million), marking a move towards fully self-sufficient air defense logistics, sources said yesterday.
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The move comes at a time when the navy's missile inspection and testing capabilities are increasingly strained by increased demand for next-generation corvettes and Kangding-class frigates, as well as the production and testing of the Haijian-2 ("Haijian-2") missiles, a senior military officer said on condition of anonymity.
The official pointed out that starting in 2028, the Navy will no longer support the Army’s ground-launched Land-Sword II missile testing work.
They explained that because the National Sun Yat-sen Institute of Science prioritized the development of the Haijian-2 missile during the early development of the Land-Sword-2 system, the Army relied heavily on naval equipment and ships to verify launch ignition, radar integration, and terminal seeker performance during the early development stages of the system.
They added that the Navy's test ship "Kaohsiung" had served as a missile testing platform.
In order to prevent gaps in air defense preparations, the Army has decided to terminate cross-service testing arrangements and invest nearly NT$260 million to establish independent support capabilities.
While the budget does not cover new missile purchases, it is a critical step toward achieving logistical self-sufficiency.
The funding will be used to completely renovate the facility, install temperature and humidity control systems, upgrade ammunition safety infrastructure and purchase specialized testing equipment.
The new system will be able to simulate radar signals and mid-course guidance commands, and conduct full-loop diagnosis of the missile.
This facility will enable the Army to conduct inspections, functional tests and seeker calibrations of Land-Sword II missiles without relying on the Navy, significantly improving maintenance flexibility and operational readiness.
The move is consistent with the Army's planned five-year, NT$3.65 billion procurement plan, which will begin the next fiscal year to purchase additional Land Shejian-2 missiles.
The National Sun Yat-sen Institute of Science is upgrading the Lu-Shejian-2 system to reduce post-launch reloading time from nearly 30 minutes to less than 10 minutes, and will use standardized launch canisters.
The new test facility is expected to be opened simultaneously with the Army's procurement of upgraded missiles from next year to 2031, allowing new missiles to be tested immediately at the factory.
With the delivery of the first batch of 246 land-based Shejian-2 missiles, this synchronized logistics model will enable field air defense units to gain complete operational autonomy.
They explained that internal acceptance of new missiles, life extension of older units and routine overhaul will form a smooth end-to-end process within the Army.
This move will enhance the combat readiness of the Army's mobile air defense units in precision shooting training. It will be another important step in strengthening Taiwan's asymmetric combat capabilities and integrating air defense networks and logistics resilience.
News source: Taipei Times
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