Taipei [Taiwan], February 5 : The United States Department of Defence (DoD) has recently allocated a contract worth 68.4 million USD to an American company for the construction of 50 advanced air-to-ground missiles slated for delivery to Taiwan over the next four years, as reported by Central News Agency Taiwan which cited information from the Department of Defence (DoD).
These missiles, an integral component of an arms sale package sanctioned by Washington in June 2017, are intended for deployment on Taiwan's fleet of F-16V fighter jets to bolster their long-range strike capabilities, according to a release on the website dated Feb. 2.
According to CNA Taiwan, as part of the 68.4 million USD contract under the aegis of the DoD, a division of the American aerospace and defence conglomerate RTX Corp. will manufacture the 50 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) Air-to-Ground Missiles for distribution to Taiwan's government within a four-year timeline, according to the announcement.
The bulk of the production will be centered in Tucson, Arizona, where Raytheon Missiles & Defence (RMD) operates, with an anticipated completion date of March 2028, the statement added.
The Air-to-Ground Missile (AGM-154) weighs 1,000 pounds and serves as a precision strike weapon capable of carrying various lethal payloads. It has been integrated into several U.S.-manufactured fighter jets, including Taiwan's F-16 fleet, as per Focus Taiwan
With a standoff range spanning from 12 to 63 nautical miles, the missile can be launched from beyond the range of enemy point defences while effectively engaging and neutralizing targets.
Upon completion, the missiles will be delivered to Taiwan as part of the 2017 arms sale package, valued at 185.5 million USD. The package encompasses JSOW integration, dummy training missiles, missile containers, spare parts, support and test equipment, Joint Mission Planning System updates, and other technical and logistical support services.
Taiwan's Air Force recently concluded the upgrade of all 141 of its F-16A/B fighter jets to F-16Vs, equipped with advanced avionics such as the APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar, helmet-mounted cueing system, and other flight management and electronic warfare systems.
Furthermore, Taiwan initiated the acceptance of a purchase order for 66 new F-16Vs from the US last year.
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