Taiwan to buy additional PAC-3 MSE systems from US

Taiwan is planning to acquire an additional four PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) systems along with up to 500 missiles to strengthen its air and missile defence capabilities in response to growing Chinese missile deployments on the east coast, a defence official told reporters on October 4.

The proposed purchase, expected to be funded through Taiwan’s defence procurement special budget of about NT$1 trillion (US$32.88 billion), would include launchers, missiles, and a lower-tier radar system to support air and missile defence, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The procurement follows US military recommendations for Taiwan to increase its stockpile of air defence missiles, deploy mobile launcher systems, and improve ammunition storage capacity. The US has conducted multiple studies assessing the effectiveness of Taiwan’s current air defences against Chinese forces.

The first batch of PAC-3 MSE systems is expected to be delivered by the end of the year and deployed in Hualien and Taitung counties. The PAC-3 MSE offers a maximum engagement altitude of 45–60 km, significantly higher than the PAC-3 base model’s 24 km, allowing it to intercept ballistic and cruise missiles, advanced fighter jets, and other high-value targets.

Each launch vehicle will carry 12 missiles instead of 16 due to the larger size of the PAC-3 MSE rockets.

The budget will also support the production of Taiwan’s Tien Kung IV (Sky Bow IV) missiles, capable of intercepting targets at altitudes up to 70 km. Together with the PAC-3, PAC-3 MSE, and Sky Bow III systems, the new acquisitions aim to create a layered missile defence network capable of countering threats across all altitudes.

By Vugar Khalilov