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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| Taiwan Creates Its Own Smart Bombs |
| 2006-03-21 |
| March 21, 2006: The U.S. has refused to sell Taiwan aircraft weapons that could be used to attack China. In particular, this means no radar homing (AGM-88C HARM) missiles and JDAM smart bombs. Both could be used to demolish Chinese anti-aircraft defenses. Late last year, it was agreed that refusing the HARM made some practical sense as well, because the new Chinese air defense systems (the Russian SA-10 series) has a long range radar that could detect and nail a HARM carrying aircraft, before the HARM could be launched. To get around this refusal, Taiwan has been building their own version of the American JSOW (Joint Stand Off Weapon) Also called the AGM-154A, the Taiwanese version is called the Wan Chien. Taiwan recently made a very public announcement about Wan Chien, which was another way of sending a "don't attack us" message to China. JSOW is basically a smart bomb with wings. That enables it to glide up to 70 kilometers from the aircraft dropping it, to a target on the ground. Range is about 25 kilometers if dropped from low altitude. JSOW also contains more elaborate fins and software that enables it to follow a specific route. Like the wingless JDAM smart bomb, JSOW uses GPS and inertial guidance (as a backup) to find its target. Like JDAM, JSOW hits within 30 feet of its aiming point. The U.S. pays about $250,000 for each JSOW. The Taiwanese could use their Wan Chien. JSOW as a form of HARM to take out the latest Chinese air defense radars, by adding additional sensors to the guidance system. Taiwan is also building its own version of HARM, called Tien Chien 2A. JDAM technology is a lot simpler than these two other projects, and Taiwan could easily design and build its own. Refusing to sell them just costs the U.S. export sales. On the other hand, it allows the United States to tell China that it didn't sell JDAM to Taiwan, thus defusing tensions over Taiwan. In reality, of course, Taiwan can just go build their own JDAM, which they will probably do. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #15 Wife isn't sure how to translate but suggests Wan Chien is closest in meaning to someing like I-Ching. So "throw the dice". A good name! |
| Posted by: 3dc 2006-03-21 23:32 |
| #14 Aw, hell, OP - I'd give 'em a hand. *golf clap* See, that wasn't hard, now was it? ;-p |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2006-03-21 23:28 |
| #13 I wonder just how many nukes Taiwan has socked away here and there? We KNOW the Israelis have nukes. I'm sure Taiwan has at LEAST one, aimed at the Three Gorges Dam. Cleaning up after that would take all the energy China and ten other nations have. Just don't ask for OUR or Japan's help... |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2006-03-21 23:24 |
| #12 Late last year, it was agreed that refusing the HARM made some practical sense as well, because the new Chinese air defense systems (the Russian SA-10 series) has a long range radar that could detect and nail a HARM carrying aircraft, before the HARM could be launched. HARM has passive sensors. If the bird is low enough, SA-10 won't detect squat. Plus the PRC has IIRC only about 200 of them and they won't be sitting on the Taiwan Strait - they'll be around the leadership's bunkers. Mike |
| Posted by: Mike Kozlowski 2006-03-21 19:52 |
| #11 Everybody Wan Chien tonight! Uh huh! |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-03-21 19:34 |
| #10 The ROC wouldn't hurt those cities. It would capture them if attacked! |
| Posted by: 3dc 2006-03-21 17:56 |
| #9 Any chinese speakers in the house that can translate "Wan Chien"? I bet it's scary. |
| Posted by: mojo 2006-03-21 16:28 |
| #8 Taiwan should also make an s-load of the cheapest possible medium-range (500 mile) missiles carrying ordinary high explosives. "Fat" missiles with perhaps 2000-lb. warheads. The reason being that there are four major cities facing Taiwan on the mainland, in otherwise mountainous terrain. Each of these cities would act as a hub to transport weapons used against Taiwan. So if those four cities were reduced to rubble, only smaller "maintenance" attacks would be needed to radically increase the degree of difficulty for the mainland to attack Taiwan. A more accurate guidance system would prevent any efforts by the mainland to blockade Taiwan, and with a time fuse would make a hella anti-sub weapon, once a sub had been detected with coastal sonar. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2006-03-21 13:28 |
| #7 them tai chi wordz 6er |
| Posted by: jonesin 2006-03-21 13:02 |
| #6 an isolationist.... |
| Posted by: 6 2006-03-21 12:27 |
| #5 Scratch.... |
| Posted by: 6 2006-03-21 12:26 |
| #4 TO: Surprise the Taiwanese aren't working in the background with the Israelis. The Israelis are too busy selling to the Chinese. That's a relationship worth billions, much more than they're ever going to get from the penny-pinching Taiwanese. |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2006-03-21 11:33 |
| #3 Bravo, Taiwan. Next up should be a tidy little dam buster for Three Gorges. It's about time China got a nice slap in the face. On reflection, this is much like Israel versus all the Arab states around it. Here's tiny Taiwan holding at bay (with our help) gigantic China. What a splendid thumb in the eye for China. This standoff must really frost the politburo's collective sphincters. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-03-21 11:04 |
| #2 Surprise the Taiwanese aren't working in the background with the Israelis. Both know that they can not count on others to back them when the chips are down because of politics in their 'friends' countries. |
| Posted by: Therese Omavimp4314 2006-03-21 10:48 |
| #1 Good for them. |
| Posted by: gromgoru 2006-03-21 10:28 |