Indo-Pacific News
The United States is reported to be moving forward with three separate arms sale packages to Taiwan, with guided rockets, missiles, and airborne reconnaissance pods set to be sold to the self-governing island China regards as its territory.
According to Reuters, the Trump Administration has cleared the sales and sent the notifications to Congress for approval, although the State Department has not yet announced the approvals through the Defense Security and Cooperation Agency (DSCA) in line with the normal process.
The arms for Taiwan include the Lockheed-Martin M142 Hi-Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) truck mounted long-range guided rockets, Boeing’s air-launched AGM-84H/K Stand-off Land Attack Missile – Expanded Response (SLAM-ER), and airborne reconnaissance pods that Reuters did not identify.
It has previously been reported that Taiwan was seeking the UTC Aerospace Systems MS-110 long-range oblique photography, or LOROP, pods from the US and that it and the SLAM-ERs will equip its Lockheed-Martin F-16 fighters.
Taiwan is acquiring 66 new-build Block 72 F-16C/D jets and is in the process of upgrading some 140 older F-16A/Bs in its inventory.