Taiwan to increase Stinger missile order from US fivefold

Taiwan's military plans to nearly quintuple its order of Stinger man-portable air-defence systems (MANPADS) from the US. 

The original contract included 178 Stinger launchers, 170 Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) systems, and 500 missiles. The updated request, submitted for parliamentary approval, adds 549 launchers and 1,985 missiles, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The US has already approved the new terms of the deal, which will increase its value from 13.37 billion to 69 billion New Taiwan dollars (approximately $418.6 million to $2.16 billion). 

The delivery of the Stinger systems is scheduled for 2025. They will be distributed to the Marine Corps, Military Police, Army, Coast Guard, and Navy garrisons. A second batch of MANPADS is expected to be delivered by 2031.