TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) said it aims to have its Kestrel II anti-armor rocket launcher ready for mass production by the end of 2025.

NCSIST has developed a second-generation version of the Kestrel rocket that can penetrate over 500 mm of rolled homogeneous armor, per CNA. Its reduced backblast makes it more suitable for close quarters combat, and developers aim to keep the rocket’s weight under 4 kilograms.

The Kestrel II also includes pre-marked calibration for estimating enemy movement, enabling predicted line-of-sight targeting capabilities.

The original Kestrel rocket has been in service with Taiwan’s Army, Marine Corps, and Military Police Command since 2015. Over nearly a decade, more than 1,000 rounds have been fired with a reported hit accuracy rate of 99.8%. However, the military has determined that the original system no longer meets evolving operational requirements.