The Taiwanese military will deploy mobile passive radar systems to fend off stealth aircraft from China after rumors Beijing may dispatch its J-20 fighters to circumnavigate the island.
Two radar units – developed by the ministry-affiliated Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology – would be deployed some time this year for operational testing, with mass production and deployment expected by 2020, the Taipei-based Liberty Times quoted a defense ministry official as saying.
The institute has been working for years incorporating Western military technologies into its mobile passive counter stealth aircraft radar system, which would be able to detect, track and lock on to targets at long range.
The military has envisioned a defense system comprising passive means involving a land-based advanced radar system and active means made up of F-16 jets.
The island’s fleet of upgraded F-16Vs are also to be mounted with the cutting-edge APG-83 scalable agile beam radar against stealth fighters, which will deliver “a quantum leap in capability” for the plane. Upgrades to Taiwan’s existing F-16 fleet started in January 2017.
These airborne radar units would be remotely linked to land-based phased array radar systems and “magnify” the cross-section to detect objects without emitting radiation, making them less vulnerable to electronic warfare interference and anti-radiation missile attacks, a fact sheet published by the Chungshan Institute said.
“The military must plan for and deploy counter-measures to preempt [the breaches of Taiwan’s airspace by more advanced Chinese stealth warplanes],” said the official.
Previously, the island’s defense ministry had warned that the J-20’s entry into service could erode the detection range of advanced warning radar systems or even lead to the complete loss of advanced warning and quick reaction capabilities of the Taiwanese Air Force.
It is believed that apart from its indigenous J-20s, the People’s Liberation Army Air Force has also been coating its Sukhoi Su-35 squadron imported from Russia with radiation-absorbing paint to give them a measure of stealth, part of Beijing’s bid to boost the size of its fleet of stealth aircraft amid mounting pressure on the breakaway island.
On Friday last week Beijing dispatched formations of Su-35 fighters and H-6K bombers that flew around Taiwan, the first time the bombers were sent on such a patrol.
Why wasting time n money sinces YOUR BELOVE GOVERNMENT are heading away from peace, just start shootings down PLA war planes n start a war since you don’t recognize you are small eye chinese and hv the backing of US n the west in your dream. Go for it!!!!!
The US is using Taiwan, instigating and arming it for War with China. But sorry on the vision of Taiwanese Leadership that it fails to recognize that if the War is started, America or any other country will never come to its rescue. The result will be a Human Catastrophe for Taiwan. China has been waiting for long with patience for peaceful annexation of Taiwan but time has revealed that though majority of Taiwanese are in favor to be part of China but the Taiwanese Leadership is hijacked by the US. There is no 2nd option for China other than getting Taiwan – being its Renegade Province playing in the hands of American Conspiracies. The Taiwanese Authorities must read the writings on the wall and initiate engagements with China for the resolution of its issues and the way Taiwan has selected to March on viz confrontation with China- will compel China to turn Taiwan into debris.
Othman Ahmad that is not what is happening to Hongkong and Macau. You are just parroting western propaganda.