US approves new US$619 million sale of missiles and military equipment to Taiwan
- Taiwan’s defence ministry says the missiles are needed to help deal with threats and provocation from the PLA
- Sale will help keep ‘political stability, military balance and economic progress in the region’, according to Defence Security Cooperation Agency
The planned sale – the first made by the government of US President Joe Biden this year and the ninth since he took office in 2021 – is certain to enrage Beijing, which has time and again warned Washington against supplying Taipei with arms and having official contact with the island.
In a statement on Thursday, the Pentagon’s Defence Security Cooperation Agency announced that the US State Department had approved a possible sale to Taiwan of F-16 munitions and related equipment worth US$619 million.
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The agency said the island had asked to buy 100 AGM-88B high-speed anti-radiation missiles (HARM); 23 HARM training missiles; 200 AIM-120C-8 advanced medium range air-to-air missiles; four AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM guidance sections; and 26 LAU-129 multipurpose launchers.
Also included were LAU-118A missile launchers with aircraft launcher interface computer; AIM-120C captive air training missiles; dummy air training missiles, integration, test and munitions support and equipment; spare parts and technical and related logistics support.
“This proposed sale serves US national, economic and security interests by supporting the recipient’s continuing efforts to modernise its armed forces and to maintain a credible defensive capability,” the Defence Security Cooperation Agency said.
Noting that the proposed sale was consistent with US law and policy, the agency said such supplies would help improve Taiwan’s security and help maintain “the political stability, military balance and economic progress in the region”.
