Taiwan to begin mass production of Tien Kung IV missiles in 2026

Taiwan is set to commence mass production of its domestically developed Tien Kung IV (Sky Bow IV) air defence missiles in 2026, with an initial order of 122 launcher pods, according to the Ministry of National Defense’s (MND) latest list of regulated military material.

The list indicates that Taiwan's armed forces will acquire 46 missile pods in 2026 and 76 more in 2027. Each pod contains a single missile, meaning the number of missiles will match the number of pods procured, Caliber.Az reports via Taiwanese media. 

Designed by the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology, the Tien Kung IV system is capable of intercepting both cruise and ballistic missiles at altitudes of up to 70 kilometers. This surpasses the 60km ceiling of the US-made Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement systems.

A defence source familiar with the program confirmed that the pod and missile count will be equal.

“The number of pods the military is procuring would be identical to the total number of missiles it plans to order, as each pod contains one projectile,” the source said.

Further details about the missile acquisition are expected to be announced by mid-August, either within Taiwan’s regular defense budget or through a special Executive Yuan initiative.

The Tien Kung IV is one of two advanced systems being developed under the institute’s Chiang Kung (強弓, Strong Bow) program, which aims to upgrade the earlier Tien Kung III platform.

Another system under the same program reportedly includes two variants: an “A” version designed for air defence with capabilities comparable to the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system, and a “B” variant intended for long-range precision strikes on ground targets.

By Sabina Mammadli