China: November 24, 2000

Archives

Over furious objections from Beijing, the US has announced plans for a $1.3 billion sale of weapons to Taiwan. Keystone of the arms package is a batch of 200 AIM-120C AMRAAM air-to-air missiles. These will be stored at a US base in Asia (probably Guam) and delivered to Taiwan only in the event of a crisis, or when China receives its Russian-made R77 (AA-12 Adder) air-to-air missiles, which have twice the range of the AMRAAM. The deal also includes 292 LAU-129 launch rails and software for use by Taiwanese F-16s, both of which will be installed now. Taiwan will also receive 71 RGM-84L Harpoon Block II anti-ship missiles to arm its new FFG-7 frigates. Taiwan already uses the Harpoon Block I on its Knox-class frigates, and has developed its own copies of Harpoon (Hsiung Feng 2 and 3). The package also includes 146 M109A5 self-propelled 155mm howitzers, six M88A2 Improved Tank Recovery Vehicles, 79 M2 12.7mm heavy barrel machineguns, 160 PVS-7B night vision goggles, 146 VRD-87E and six VRC-90E SINCGARS radios.--Stephen V Cole


 

X

ad

Help Keep Us From Drying Up

We need your help! Our subscription base has slowly been dwindling.

Each month we count on your contributions. You can support us in the following ways:

  1. Make sure you spread the word about us. Two ways to do that are to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
  2. Subscribe to our daily newsletter. We’ll send the news to your email box, and you don’t have to come to the site unless you want to read columns or see photos.
  3. You can contribute to the health of StrategyPage.
Subscribe   Contribute   Close