JDW: US confirms early warning system to Taiwan

Date Posted: 02-Apr-2004

JANE’S DEFENCE WEEKLY – APRIL 07, 2004

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US confirms early-warning radar system sale to Taiwan
Wendell Minnick JDW Correspondent
Taipei

China has denounced the proposed sale of early-warning radar systems by the US to the Republic of China (Taiwan).

China’s foreign ministry spokesman, Kong Quan, said in Beijing on 1 April that the US should be “faithful to what it says and abide by its promises and not send the wrong signal to Taiwan’s independence [supporters]”.

Although JDW first broke the story in February, the US Department of Defense officially notified the US Congress on 31 March of its intent to sell two ultra-high-frequency long-range early-warning radars capable of detecting ballistic and cruise missiles and air breathing target threats at an estimated US$1.8 billion (JDW 11 February).

Taiwan is expected to purchase only one radar at first, to be based at Loshan Mountain in Hsinchu County, northern Taiwan, at an estimated cost of US$830 million. A second radar is tentatively scheduled to be purchased if Taiwan’s budget will allow.

Only two platforms are being considered: a modified version of the Raytheon AN/FPS-115 PAVE PAWS; and a modified version based on the Lockheed Martin Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS) with a rotating UHF digital beamformer radar enclosed in a dome, dubbed the LM Digital UHF Radar.

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