China furious US approved NASAMS sale to Taiwan

Taiwan is getting the same air defense system that protects Washington D.C., and China is none too pleased about it. The U.S. State Department approved the sale in late October of three National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems, also known as NASAMS, to Taiwan.

The $2 billion deal includes the supporting equipment for the three NASAMS, a host of radars and early-warning detection systems, and 123 AMRAAM-ERs, or Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles-Extended Range.

Those AMRAAM-ERs have a published range of at least 40 kilometers, or just under 25 miles. It’s not the type of system Taipei could use to attack Beijing, but NASAMS are great at downing helicopters, jets, drones and cruise missiles.

The AMRAAM-ER was originally designed to be air-launched, like the other missiles employed by the NASAMS. But the system takes those same weapons and converts them into ground-launched interceptors. As a result, the launchers can be pre-positioned for around-the-clock protection. They can be placed close together or far apart, depending on the need, and are controlled remotely by a fire distribution center.

NASAMS were developed by Raytheon and Kongsberg around 30 years ago, but they were designed to keep up with current technologies. In addition to AMRAAM and AMRAAM-ERs, the launchers can also fire the AIM-9X Sidewinder, a highly maneuverable missile which tracks a target’s heat signature and is designed for close-in encounters.

While the NASAMS sale didn’t include any Sidewinders, it is the 17th arms sale under the Biden administration to Taiwan, and one of those sales from last year did include 100 Sidewinders.

Back to the launchers: NASAMS are made to work well with other systems and integrate seamlessly into established air-defense networks. Thirteen nations currently use NASAMS to protect their most vital assets and facilities, like the White House and U.S. Capitol. NASAMS are easily one of the most battle-tested air defense systems available today.

Taiwan first requested them back in 2022, but because the U.S. partnered with Norway to build NASAMS, the Norwegians—and NATO—had to sign off on the deal. They did, and in doing so, sent a clear signal that the military alliance is keeping an eye on what happens in the Pacific.

China continues to make claims to territories it doesn’t own or no longer controls, like fishing grounds around the Philippines and the Island of Taiwan.

So, what does it all mean? The Taiwanese are getting a top-tier air defense system to protect their most critical facilities. This is strictly a defensive system, designed to counter most, if not all, of the weapons the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force—or PLAARF—would use if Beijing decides it wants to try and take Taiwan.

This isn’t sitting well with China. Its Foreign Ministry denounced the sale of NASAMS to Taiwan, saying China would take “resolute countermeasures and take all measures necessary to firmly defend national sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity.”

No one is really sure what that would look like at this point, since again, NASAMS are defensive weapons, which means the only way China would be impacted by them is if they attack Taiwan.

Full Story: https://san.com/cc/china-furious-us-approved-nasams-sale-to-taiwan/

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