Taiwan's Hsiung Feng cruise missile successfully test fired

Taiwan has successfully test fired its first cruise missile, which would allow the island to hit major military targets in southeast China, a newspaper here reported Sunday.

The Hsiung Feng cruise missile, developed by the military-run Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology, has a range of 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) and could be used to attack military bases in southeast China, the China Times said.

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Finally!


[edit on 5-6-2005 by NWguy83]

Well, it's time they learn to defend them self... China may attack in 2006... (At least I've heard so)...

well the heat just got turned up on the pressure cooker hope the steam dont build up too much

Hey,

I can see two outcomes of this missile launch and budget proposal, its either going to cause the Chinese military forces to back off or the more likely effect of the chinese attacking before the Taiwanese military can be improved or before the missiles become operational.

Can any one say ASIAN CONFLICT 2005?

- Phil

Originally posted by gooseuk
Hey,

I can see two outcomes of this missile launch and budget proposal, its either going to cause the Chinese military forces to back off or the more likely effect of the chinese attacking before the Taiwanese military can be improved or before the missiles become operational.

Can any one say ASIAN CONFLICT 2005?

- Phil

i always thought it would be during or after the bejing olympics in 2008 but maybe ithere plans will have to be cranked up a knock.

is it based off the tomahawk cruise missile and are there any pictures out there of it?

Originally posted by Char2c35t

is it based off the tomahawk cruise missile and are there any pictures out there of it?

I am not sure, but I have read about a Taiwan misille to be tested few weeks ago and it was not like Tomahawk, more like russian Shipwreck (with turbojet) with supersonic speed.

hhhmmm wonder where they got the desogn/tech to build a cruise missile like that? Russia? that would anger china if russia sold Taiwan the design.

Finally, it sounds as if the taiwanese can actually poses a credible deterent against the chinese. Atleast now they will not be defenceless if the chinese decide to invade the island. Next they just have to tip their cruise missile with nukes and then the chinese will be sweating.
Okay I've goit soem pics of the Hsiung Feng missile here:


The range of the HF3 is according to GlobalSecurity.org just around 300km but the given article says that it is around 1000kms, anybody have an idea to what it actually is ? The missile is said to be a counter to the chinese 'Russian' Sunburn missile system. www.globalsecurity.org...

I think there is a confusion between Hsiung Feng 3 and Hsiung Feng 2E.

HF-3 is a supersonic anti-ship missile. That is the missile the globalsecurity.org is talking about.

HF-2E is the 1000 km ranged cruise missile the other article is talking about.

The picture seems to be HF 1 or 2, not 3 or 2E, though.

It seems that Taiwan has been researching the 2 different types of missile technologies simultaneously...Wonder how much foreign help was involved.

A while ago, a newspapaer in Taiwan said that now that the HF-3's research has reach a final stage and key technologies gained, the next possible research should be in the development of supersonic cruise missile with range up to 2000 km, but there will be a lot of difficult issues needed to be resolved. I have no idea whether that is a rumor or fact...need to wait and see.

[edit on 7-6-2005 by twchang]

[edit on 7-6-2005 by twchang]

Cruise missiles wont really solve this problem, more likely make it worse unless they get nukes on em, as it would be peacemaker then, but without those its just causing more sorrow if China somehow get intention to invade and Taiwan retaliate with all its power by cripling some Chinese military targets by its missiles before been overtaken.

Has anyone ever considered this Taiwan - China scenario as test for US? As we see theres large Pro-China part on Taiwan as well, so it might as well go that way that Taiwan will be added as one state of China peacefully and this same technology go to China by that way, even thou its not the point, just that i see it less likely to China ever fire upon Taiwan. As military technology transfer far as i understand Taiwan has tryid to buy US new weapon arsenal as well without success.

well, the idea behind strategic missiles in Taiwan is to be able to retaliate therefore makes it more difficult for the enemy.

If it is too easy then a war will be imminent, because then the enemy has a very high probability of winning decisively without much lose. And why wouldn't they attack if that is the case?

Nukes in Taiwan might work, but it can also make the situation even more complicated. If China start invading Taiwan, should Taiwan fire nukes? Then wouldn't China fire nukes as well? If Taiwan doesn't fire nukes, then what is the use of nukes? If Taiwan uses nukes then it will probably be the end of Taiwan and a devastation of east asia.

I think the better missile strategy for Taiwan is probably having both missile attack and defense capability. Because Taiwan is small, anti missile batteries coverage can be made dense. And with a good strike capability, it will make it much harder for the enemy to decide to attack. Obviously though there are no efficient anti missile system out there yet, but I think eventually a effective system will become available given the advancement in computer and avionics. This strategy is much more expensive than nukes, but probably better...


[edit on 7-6-2005 by twchang]

[edit on 7-6-2005 by twchang]

Just as an aside - but which country would give/sell/proliferate the nukes to taiwan in the first place???

Originally posted by Harlequin
Just as an aside - but which country would give/sell/proliferate the nukes to taiwan in the first place???

They will magically get one when things hot up !!
Also the cruise missile would be much more usefull with a nuke if china decides to jump the gun Taiwan could nuke shanghai or some other place in retaliation, yeah taiwan would be obliterated but isn't that the case with india-pakistan?? The aim is not actually to use them but to use as deterrence.
Another good concern brought up was what would happen if Taiwan went peacefully - millions of dollars of US money down the drain. Plus china gets a step up with the tech and also a lot of insight into the US military. I think the US should give Taiwan only obsolete tech that the US does not use or has been deamed as redundant. Also their is the danger that chinese spies can steal the tech from taiwan itself. Anyway introducing a pakistani nuke may be a good way to up china, as the chinese have supplied them to pakistan through North Korea and thus repaying them in their own coin!
Its left to the CIA to decide I guess.

Originally posted by IAF101
Another good concern brought up was what would happen if Taiwan went peacefully - millions of dollars of US money down the drain. Plus china gets a step up with the tech and also a lot of insight into the US military. I think the US should give Taiwan only obsolete tech that the US does not use or has been deamed as redundant. Also their is the danger that chinese spies can steal the tech from taiwan itself.

Yea, this topic has also been brought up in the other thread. But I think that is what US does all along, perhaps not just to Taiwan but other countries as well. For example, when US sold Taiwan F-16, the ground attack capability was down graded a littile. Over the years, it was gradually upgraded. It is understandable because you never know if things will change sunddenly, unless it is a really trust worthy ally. And even though they are down graded, they are still good enough for Taiwan for now, because Taiwan can't possibly develop all weapons and platforms efficiently on its own.

Especailly in Taiwan's case, where US must follow its "Taiwan Relation Act," in which US states it will sold only "defensive" weapon to Taiwan so Taiwan can protect itself. But obviously US can adjust its policy when Taiwan or China adjust thier policies, to stay flexible and be able to face new situations.


[edit on 7-6-2005 by twchang]