Taiwan conducts missile drills in southern waters

Taiwan's emphasis on increasing missile-production capacity is partly centred on the Hsiung Feng III anti-ship missile. (Janes/Kelvin Wong)

Taiwan's National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) – the country's primary military research and development (R&D) organisation – has conducted a series of missile tests from a military base in the southern county of Pingtung.

The trials are aligned with Taiwan's growing efforts to expand its missile development and production capacity in the face of growing tensions with China.

Taiwan's Fisheries Agency (FA) said in a notice that the drills took place from 10 to 12 May and involved “live munitions”. The FA added that the drills comprised four rounds of tests. It did not specify what missiles are being evaluated but said the trials involved firings at ships at sea.

The FA had previously warned vessels to avoid the area, adding that the trials would be monitored by NCSIST unmanned aerial vehicles. The area used for the trials covered the waters surrounding Taiwan's southeastern Orchid Island and Green Island.

In March, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) said in a report submitted to the Legislative Yuan that the expansion of NCSIST's missile manufacturing capacity has been under way for the past few years and will be complete in June 2022.

The MND report said that since 2018 the NCSIST has invested TWD7 billion (USD235 million) to upgrade and expand 80 “missile-related facilities”. It added that NCSIST has completed upgrades on 50 missile facilities. Once complete, the upgrade will facilitate an expected increase in capacity of more than three-fold in terms of locally manufactured missiles.