Taiwanese military authorities have cancelled the planned test firing of an anti-ballistic missile as a peace gesture to rival China ahead of presidential elections here, a report said Sunday.
“The exercise aimed to test the project for the development of anti-ballistic missiles (ATBM) was cancelled yesterday,” the United Daily News said.
It said the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology had planned to launch a missile from the Chiupeng base in southern Pingtung county to intercept another one fired from the eastern county of Taitung.
The paper said “Chungshan Institute had to halt the test for fear of sparking misunderstanding by the Chinese communists during the run up to the March 18 presidential elections.”
The paper quoted military sources as saying “research of the weaponry has moved into the final stage of fire control integrity” and “the canceling would not drag on the feet of developing ATBM.”
Chungshan Institute for the first time tested an ATBM missile in September, during which the target was destroyed.
Chao Yao-ming, an official with the arms research body, said the weapon targetted M-9 and M-11 ballistic missiles, now part of China’s arms inventory.
The ATBM is guided by phased array radars like those installed on the US Aegis class destroyer.
Taiwan bought three batteries of PAC-II missiles, the improved version of the Patriot, from the US in 1993. The three units are positioned to defend the densely populated greater Taipei area.
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