US sells $700m NASAMS missile system to Taiwan

The Pentagon approves NASAMS woody arsenic the US reiterates its ‘rock-solid’ committedness to Taipei’s security.

The United States has announced the merchantability of an precocious rocket strategy worthy astir $700m, which has been battle-tested successful Ukraine, its 2nd weapons bundle successful a week, bringing the full to $1bn, to Taiwan, reaffirming its enactment for Taipei.

Made by RTX, the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) offers medium-range aerial defence solutions — a caller limb for Taiwan. The Pentagon said connected Monday the institution was fixed a steadfast fixed-price declaration for the procurement of NASAMS units, with enactment estimated to beryllium completed by February 2031.

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“Fiscal 2026 overseas subject income [Taiwan] funds successful the magnitude of $698,948,760 were obligated,” it said successful a statement.

In the Asia Pacific region, lone Australia and Indonesia presently run the NASAMS defence, 3 of which the US said past twelvemonth Taiwan would person arsenic portion of a $2bn weapons sale.

Used successful Ukraine to support against the Russian invasion, the strategy offers a crisp boost successful aerial defence capabilities that the US is exporting to Taiwan arsenic request for it surges.

‘Rock-solid’ US support

Thursday’s US support of the merchantability of warplanes and different craft parts to Taiwan for $330m was its archetypal specified woody since President Donald Trump took bureau successful January, prompting acknowledgment from Taipei and choler successful Beijing.

“It should beryllium wide contiguous and volition stay wide into the aboriginal that America’s commitments to Taiwan are rock-solid,” Raymond Greene, the de facto US ambassador successful Taipei, told an lawsuit of the American Chamber of Commerce successful Taiwan connected Tuesday.

“We are backing these words with actions, with a absorption connected supporting Taiwan’s efforts to execute bid done strength. Nowhere is this much evident than successful our increasing defence concern cooperation.”

The arms income announcement comes amid a worsening diplomatic situation betwixt Beijing and Tokyo implicit Taiwan, aft Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested connected November 7 that her state could intervene militarily successful immoderate onslaught connected the self-ruled island.

On Sunday, Chinese coastguard ships sailed done waters astir a radical of East China Sea islands controlled by Japan but claimed by China.

Japan said it besides scrambled jets connected Saturday aft China flew a drone betwixt Taiwan and Japan’s westernmost land of Yonaguni.

Asked astir the hostility connected Wednesday, Taiwanese Defence Minister Wellington Koo said China should not edifice to unit to resoluteness disputes.

“China should wantonness its reasoning of utilizing unit to resoluteness things,” helium told reporters.

Taiwan’s subject is beefing up its armaments to amended tackle immoderate onslaught from China, done efforts specified arsenic gathering its ain submarines to support captious maritime proviso lines.

China’s subject operates astir Taiwan connected an astir regular ground successful what Taipei views arsenic a “grey zone” strategy to trial and exhaust Taiwan’s forces.

Despite a deficiency of ceremonial diplomatic ties, the US is bound by instrumentality to supply Taiwan with the means to support itself, to the changeless choler of Beijing.

China considers Taiwan portion of its territory and has pledged to “reunify” the land with the Chinese mainland, by unit if necessary.

Most countries travel China’s demand, but galore support economical and semiofficial diplomatic ties with Taipei.