Taiwan signs US$761 million deal for US NASAMS defence package

Contract suggests the missile system will be used to defend Taipei and essential infrastructure

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The NASAMS technology was designed in Norway but modified by Raytheon. Photo: Royal Norwegian Navy

Published: 9:00pm, 11 Feb 2025Updated: 9:34pm, 11 Feb 2025

Taiwan has signed a new missile deal with Washington to bolster the defence of Taipei and key infrastructure against a potential attack by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

According to details of the contract released via the island’s government procurement platform on Monday, Taiwan will pay NT$24.98 billion (US$761 million) for three National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) from the United States.

The agreement was approved in October by then-president Joe Biden but is technically the first signed under Trump’s presidency, with full delivery expected by the end of 2030.

Taiwan’s defence mission in Washington signed the deal with the American Institute in Taiwan, which represents US interests in the absence of formal ties with the island.

The contract indicates that the air defence systems will be deployed by Taiwan’s air force in Taipei’s Songshan district and New Taipei City’s Tamsui district – key strategic locations in safeguarding government administration centres and essential infrastructure.

A military source confirmed the missile purchases, saying that the systems were first discussed as a potential arms sale during the 2022 Monterey Talks, one of the annual closed-door military dialogues between Washington and the island.