Australia announced a $4.7 billion purchase of Raytheon SM-2 and SM-6 missiles. The two missile types are U.S. weapons deployed on warships to strike targets at sea, land and in the air and defend against enemy ballistic missiles. The missiles are expected to arm the Royal Australian Navy’s Hobart-class destroyers and Hunter-class frigates, which are based on the BAE Systems Type 26 frigate, that are expected to enter service in 2034. An SM-6 missile was recently test fired from the HMAS Sydney.
A new sale of missile defence systems has also been announced to Taiwan. The U.S. Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency has sent to the U.S. Congress, certification for a potential $2 billion sale of weapons to Taiwan, including three Raytheon NASAMS medium-range air defence systems that includes the advanced AMRAAM Extended Range surface to air missiles. NASAMS stands for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System and it is already in operation in Ukraine.
The notification comes after large scale Chinese exercises in October that apparently simulated a blockade of Taiwan. Taiwan already operates the U.S. Patriot air defence system in addition to its own Tien Kung, or Sky Bow systems.
China has criticised the proposed sale and said it will take ‘resolute countermeasures.’
Discover more from StratPost
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
