The US-Taiwan Business Council today welcomed the announcement of a possible Foreign Military Sale of Repair and Recertification of Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Missiles to Taiwan. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) delivered the required certification notifying Congress of the proposed arms sale on July 9, 2020.
The published Congressional Notification (transmittal number 20-24) is for a total value of approximately US$620 million. The notification includes recertification of (PAC-3) missiles, Repair and Return of classified and unclassified PAC-3 missile items and Ground Support Equipment, replenishment of missile spares and GSE spares along with a seeker spares pool, air transportation services for missile processing, and other related technical and logistics support. [1]
The US-Taiwan Business Council is encouraged by these Congressional notifications. Council President Rupert Hammond-Chambers said “The maintenance of Taiwan’s PAC-3 capability is a welcome development. Taiwan is undertaking an important commitment to sustaining the quality of its legacy equipment, in support of deterring the coercive military threat from China. It is an important signal from the governments of Presidents Tsai and Trump that they are committed to peace and security in the Taiwan Strait through strong defensive capabilities.”
“Taiwan’s PAC-3 ground-to-air SAM system plays an essential role in protecting Taiwan from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) missile forces that physically and politically threaten and intimidate the country. The U.S. is right to support all of Taiwan’s legitimate defense needs, whether new F-16 fighters or the upgrade of legacy equipment.”
Hammond-Chambers went on to say that “the PLA’s commitment to its own force modernization – and the threat that poses to peace and security in Asia – is a constant reminder that consistent arms sales to Taiwan is in the interests of the United States and of its Asia Pacific allies.”
[1] See the DSCA website at http://www.dsca.mil/major-arms-sales