TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The first of 100 land-based Harpoon anti-ship missile systems ordered from the United States have arrived in Kaohsiung, reports said Saturday (Sept. 28).

The first delivery occurred Friday (Sept. 27), with the equipment being unloaded at Kaohsiung Port, per the Liberty Times. There was no immediate word on which part of the missile systems had arrived.

The US approved the sale of 400 RTM-84L-4 Harpoon Block II missiles, four RTM-84L-4 Harpoon Block II maneuver missiles, 100 launcher transporter units, and 25 radar trucks in 2020. The first phase of deliveries, to be completed in 2026, included 128 missiles, with the second and final phase expected by the end of 2028.

The Ministry of National Defense had budgeted the full package at NT$71.02 billion (US$2.24 billion), but an extra NT$15 billion needed to be spent on building the bases to house the missiles.

A new Coastal Defense Command is scheduled to launch in 2026 to manage six bases hosting the shore-mounted anti-ship Harpoons and Taiwan-made Hsiung Feng missiles.