According to Taiwanese media reports
The Biden administration will soon announce arms sales to Taiwan for the first time
Taiwan’s military confirmed
US sales to Taiwan self-propelled artillery project has been "in operation for a long time"
According to Taiwan's "United Daily News" reported on the 18th, the United States has a The Taipei office of the association notified the Taiwan authorities in March that the U.S. State Department will formally announce its approval of the sale of M109A6 self-propelled artillery to Taiwan in the near future and submit it to Congress for review. Qiu Guozheng, the head of Taiwan's defense department, confirmed on the 19th that this arms purchase project has been in operation for a long time.
The M109A6 self-propelled artillery is currently the main artillery of the US military artillery force. Taiwan media reported that the M109A6 self-propelled artillery is a whole generation more advanced than the main artillery currently in service in the Taiwan Army. Each artillery is equipped with a vehicle-mounted mission computer, a built-in navigation and aiming system, and an automated ammunition management and loading system. The maximum rate of fire has increased from the original 6 per minute. The number of rounds fired was increased to 8 rounds per minute, and the launch preparation time was also shortened to 60 seconds.
The Taiwanese military described it as "one vehicle can produce the effect of an artillery battery."
If it is approved to provide M109A6 self-propelled artillery to Taiwan, it will be the first time that the United States has announced arms sales to Taiwan during Biden 's term.
"United Daily News" believes that self-propelled artillery is not a strategic weapon, but the arms sales case is of particular significance. Because this means that U.S. arms sales will not weaken and will remain an important bargaining chip for U.S. intervention in the Taiwan Strait in the foreseeable future.
Taiwan’s military is seeking
long-range precision strike weapons from the United States.
At the same time, Taiwan media reported on the 19th that Taiwan’s top defense department officials confirmed during questioning at Taiwan’s legislative body that day that Taiwan is currently seeking approval from the United States to sell AGM-158 missiles. This is the first time Taiwan’s military has publicly confirmed in recent times that it is seeking to purchase air-launched long-range precision strike weapons from the United States.
AGM-158 "Jasm" missile is a long-range air-to-surface missile developed by the US arms giant Lockheed Martin for the US Air Force. Its basic range is 370 kilometers, and the extended range can reach up to 1,000 kilometers, equipped with an armor-piercing warhead, and the missile body also has certain stealth performance.
According to Lockheed Martin, the AGM-158 missile is mainly used to strike high-value ground targets that are well protected by the enemy. This type of missile entered service with the US military in 2009, and more than 2,000 of it have been delivered so far. The main US Air Force fighter aircraft F-15 and F-16, as well as the main strategic bombers B-1B and B-52, are equipped with AGM-158 missile capabilities.
In addition to the US military, Lockheed Martin has also provided the same type of missiles to a few countries such as Australia.
"We will never allow Taiwan to be independent!"
On April 16, Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Yucheng emphasized in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press that the United States should not play the "Taiwan card", which is a dangerous card. Card. We will never allow Taiwan to become independent. China's position on safeguarding national sovereignty, security, and unity is unswerving.
Source: CCTV Military
