The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO) of Recertification of Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missiles for an estimated cost of $620 million. This proposed sale serves U.S. national, economic, and security interests by supporting the recipient’s continuing efforts to modernize its armed forces and to maintain a credible defensive capability. The proposed sale will help improve the security of the recipient and assist in maintaining political stability, military balance, and economic progress in the region. This proposed sale will help sustain the recipient’s missile density and ensure readiness for air operations.
TECRO has requested to buy Recertification of Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missiles, including the replacement of expiring Limited Life Components (LLCs) and certification testing in order to support an operational life of thirty years; Test and repair of PAC-3 missiles, including Stockpile Reliability Testing (SRT) and Field Returns; Repair and Return (R&R) of classified and unclassified PAC-3 missile items and Ground Support Equipment (GSE) component level parts; replenishment of classified and unclassified missile spares and GSE spares, as well as a seeker spares pool to improve the turnaround time of the repair and recertification efforts; air transportation services for missile processing; U.S. Government and contractor technical and logistics support; and other related elements of logistics support. The recipient will use this capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen homeland defense. The prime contractor will be Lockheed Martin, Camden, AZ.
Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missiles hade been stationed on Taiwan’s east coast in a response to China’s changing military strategy. It was the first time Taiwan’s military acknowledged that it had stationed the missiles in the sparsely populated counties of Hualien and Taitung. Until now, Patriot PAC-3 batteries had been believed to be located close to the populous cities of Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsiung. The upgraded projectiles can intercept incoming aircraft and missiles. the military needed to become more flexible in order to respond to China’s modernization strategies and upgraded weapons systems. Over the past few years, Beijing has taken an aggressive stance in the South China Sea, underlining its claims over uninhabited islands with numerous military drills, including the passage of its aircraft carrier Liaoning east of Taiwan and west through the Taiwan Straits.
The MIM-104 Patriot is a surface-to-air missile (SAM) system, the primary of its kind used by the United States Army and several allied nations. It is manufactured by the U.S. defense contractor Raytheon and derives its name from the radar component of the weapon system. The AN/MPQ-53 at the heart of the system is known as the “Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept on Target” which is a backronym for PATRIOT. MIM-104F (PAC-3) is a significant PATRIOT upgrade to nearly every aspect of the system. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control is the prime contractor on the PAC-3 Missile Segment upgrade to the Patriot air defense system which will make the missile more agile and extend its range by up to 50%. The PAC-3 Missile Segment upgrade consists of the PAC-3 missile, a very agile hit-to-kill interceptor, the PAC-3 missile canisters (in four packs), a fire solution computer, and an Enhanced Launcher Electronics System (ELES).
