Taiwan switches from Tien Kung I to Tien Kung II, SURFACE-TO-AIR


Taiwan plans to retire its Tien Kung I (Sky Bow I) surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems and to upgrade the missiles, radars and training simulator to the Tien Kung II (Sky Bow II) standard, writes Doug Richardson. Tien Kung II is less expensive than Patriot, so acts as a complement to the US system. Taiwan uses its Patriot systems to defend metropolitan areas, a task likely to be shared with the PAC-3 version, whose procurement has yet to be ordered. Tien Kung II defends airfields and military bases against aircraft threats.


Tien Kung I entered service in September 1993. Developed by the Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology (CSIST), it is a single-stage medium-range SAM similar in physical appearance and basic operational parameters to the US Patriot, but uses the locally developed Chang Bei (Long White) multifunction phased-array radar, with associated fire-control computer system and the CS/MPG-25 continuous wave dish antenna illuminator radar. Each Tien Kung I battery is reported to have one Chang Bei and two CS/MPG-25 illuminator radars, which each have three or four four-round missile launchers attached. Development of the Tien Kung II probably started in the early 1980s. The first test firings apparently took place in the mid-1980s, followed by deployment in 1996, when it replaced the obsolete Nike Hercules.

The complete article appears in the following publication:
Publication Title Jane's Missiles and Rockets
Publication date Jul 05, 2006
Section SURFACE-TO-AIR
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