Over the weekend, the United States finalized the delivery of the first Harpoon RGM-84L-4 missiles acquired by the Armed Forces of Taiwan, enhancing their coastal defense capabilities in response to tensions with China. Specifically, this delivery includes a total of 32 launchers and 128 missiles out of the 400 committed in the contract, with the first phase expected to be completed by 2026.
For now, it is unclear whether the recently received package at the port of Kaohsiung contains only the missile systems themselves or if it also includes some of the simulators that Taiwan ordered as part of the same lot. It is worth noting that the Taiwanese government has acquired 4 RTM-84L-4 Harpoon Block II exercise missiles, as well as 411 missile containers and 100 ground transport vehicles for the Harpoon missile system. Including the purchase of 25 radars and the construction of launch sites, Taipei has invested a total of 8.6 billion yuan.
Returning to the initial point, it should be noted that the remaining committed missiles will be delivered in a second phase according to the agreed plans, with an estimated completion date of 2028. However, with this first delivery, the Taiwanese Navy will already be able to start forming the Coastal Combat Command, which will also operate with locally manufactured Xiongfeng systems. According to local media, the planned force will have a total of six missile launch bases, which will be distributed among the four attack groups established in the north, central, and southeast parts of the country.
Finally, recalling some of the features of the missiles acquired by Taiwan, it is useful to mention that the Harpoon RGM-84L-4 is manufactured by Boeing as a later development of the original Harpoon. It has an explosive warhead weighing 227 kilograms, capable of being launched at maximum ranges of up to 124 kilometers, thanks to its Teledyne turbojet engine, and is guided by an inertial navigation system assisted by GPS. In terms of dimensions, each unit is 4.6 meters long with a wingspan of 91.4 centimeters, weighing a total of 690.8 kilograms.
Images used for illustrative purposes
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