TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ching Tien cruise missile, developed by the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, will reportedly begin mass production next year.
Previously called the Yun Feng II, the missile’s system design is reportedly nearing completion, and production is planned to be included in the Ministry of National Defense’s regular budget for fiscal year 2027, Liberty Times reported.
To enhance wartime survivability, the missile will be deployed on ground-based launch vehicles. The systems will be hidden in tunnels or hardened shelters during peacetime and rapidly relocated during a conflict, making them difficult for enemy satellites to track, per Liberty Times.
The missile uses a solid rocket to reach high altitude before activating a ramjet engine for high-speed cruise. Its top speed is believed to be between Mach 3 and Mach 5.
Analysts have estimated its range at 1,200 to 2,000 kilometers, which could put Chinese cities such as Beijing and Wuhan within reach, Liberty Times said.
Taiwan is also upgrading its air defenses. It is developing an extended-range Sky Bow III system to intercept targets at altitudes of up to 70 kilometers, aimed at countering China’s Dongfeng missiles and other hypersonic threats.
