TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — An Indigenous Defense Fighter test-fired an air-launched Hsiung Feng III anti-ship missile on Thursday.

The fighter jet took off from Taitung’s Chihhang Air Base and flew near Jiupeng to conduct the launch, Liberty Times reported. Military officials said on Friday that the test marked an important stage of the missile’s development, codenamed the “Hsiung Chih Project.”

The National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology said further test launches will be carried out and, if they all meet design requirements, operational evaluations will begin.

The missile is designed to be launched from a high altitude. After release, it activates its ramjet engine and skims the sea surface. Its range exceeds 150 kilometers.

The missile’s development comes as NCSIST seeks to upgrade Taiwan’s fleet of IDFs, which includes installing electronic warfare pods and indigenous AESA radars. The Air Force is currently assessing the feasibility of a comprehensive upgrade to transform the fleet.