TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense (MND) has said it plans to purchase an additional batch of Patriot III MSE missiles from the U.S. in 2025 and 2026 to strengthen its air defense capabilities.
Additionally, the MND signed an agreement with the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) on Dec. 27 for follow-up support and maintenance for the new Patriot missiles. The deal, which totals NT$201 million (US$7.26 million), would see Raytheon technicians dispatched to Taiwan to assist in the deployment of the missiles and ensure system stability from 2025-2026, the Liberty Times reported.
In December, Taiwan announced it will carry out trial recertification of its Patriot missiles to see if it can do it domestically in the future, instead of sending them biennially to the U.S. Army's White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.
A senior military official pointed out that the U.S. will transfer the relevant technology to Taiwanese military units. Trial testing will be carried out in Taiwan next year for one year, he said, adding that if the procedure goes off without a hitch and is deemed feasible, the U.S. will not rule out Taiwan re-testing its Patriot missiles on its own in the future.
