TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Defense Minister Wellington Koo (顧立雄) confirmed that Taiwan will receive 500 Stinger missiles by the end of this year during a legislative session on Tuesday.
Military sources said that Taiwan has allocated more than NT$69 billion (US$2.2 billion) to procure 2,621 man-portable Stinger missiles from the US in two batches, Liberty Times reported. The first batch consists of 500 Stinger missiles, with the Army and Navy each receiving half.
The second batch of 2,121 missiles will be delivered in stages over subsequent years to the Army, Navy, and Military Police.
The Army will receive 1,985 missiles, 549 launch systems, and 549 Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) systems in 2031, while the Navy will receive 45 missiles, 15 launch systems, and 15 IFF systems the same year.
The Military Police will receive 63 missiles, 21 launch systems, and 21 IFF systems in 2028 and a final shipment of 28 missiles in 2030.
The Stinger missile has a maximum range of about 4,800 meters and can travel at speeds of up to Mach 2.5. It can counter various low-flying aircraft and drones.
During the Han Kuang 41 live-fire military exercise, Military Police personnel were seen carrying Stinger missiles during drills at the Taipei Metro and Wanban Bridge.
