TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The first live-fire test for the new land-based Sky Sword II missiles (Land Sword II) was successfully held on Monday (April 15). 

The Land Sword II (陸劍二) air defense system, developed by the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST), was scheduled to be tested on April 9, but due to bad weather was postponed till Monday, reported Liberty Times. 

At 9:10 a.m., the first Land Sword II missile was launched from Pingtung County's Jiupeng Military Base. Three Land Sword II missiles were fired with all hitting their targets, drones built by NCSIST.

The missile system is a derivative of the Sky Sword II missile and is designed to replace the Chaparral air-defense system. The effective range of the new system is estimated to be 15 km with the ability to detect and strike fixed-wing enemy aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, and cruise missiles.

The Land Sword II combat team includes a mobile radar vehicle, engagement control station, missile launch vehicle, and missile transport vehicle. The combat control vehicle can perform 360-degree target detection, tracking, threat assessment, and target allocation. 

It can be combined with the Stinger man-portable air-defense system and the Avenger air defense system to address gaps in air defenses and achieve a "layered interception" effect.