US Approves $1,364 Million Worth Missiles, Torpedo, C4ISR Systems Sale To Taiwan

In a move certain to anger China, the US State Department has approved a possible foreign military sale to Taiwan of  SRP system, a component of C4ISR, upgrade electronic warfare systems of KEELUNG Class destroyers, 56 AGM Air-to-Ground Missiles and MK 54 Lightweight Torpedo Conversion Kits altogether worth US$1,364 million.

Also incuded are Heavyweight torpedos, HARM and standard missiles.

The foreign military sale (FMS) notice has identified Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) in the United States as a recipient of the sale.

While Taiwan is nowhere identified in the notice as the recipient of the possible sale, some of the equipment such as the KEELUNG Class destroyers are in service with the Republic of China (Taiwan) Navy.

The SRP contract, potentially worth $400 million, is a key component to the recipient's Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance architecture.This potential sale will not introduce new capabilities, but will continue a similar sustainment package to one currently in place, the FMS notice says.

The  upgrade to the AN/SLQ-32V3 Electronic Warfare Systems in support of four ex-KIDD Class (now KEELUNG Class) destroyers will include upgrade hardware, software, support equipment and parts, publications, training, engineering and technical assistance.

The total estimated program cost is $80 million and the prime contractor will be Raytheon Missiles Systems Company of Tucson, Arizona.

The 56 AGM-154C JSOW Air-to-Ground missiles include JSOW integration, captive flight vehicles, dummy training missiles, missile containers, spare and repair parts, support and test equipment, Joint Mission Planning System updates, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistical and program support. The total estimated program cost is $185.5 million.

Currently, market research is being conducted to determine the viability of a qualified contractor in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulations. The purchaser typically requests offsets, but any offsets will be determined between the purchaser and the contractor.

The MK 54 Lightweight Torpedo (LWT) Conversion Kits sale will include LWT containers, torpedo support, torpedo spare parts, publications, training, weapon system support, engineering and technical assistance for the upgrade and conversion of 168 MK-46 Mod 5 Torpedoes to the MK-54 Lightweight Torpedo (LWT) configuration. The total estimated program cost is $175 million.

The sale also includes forty-six (46) MK 48 Mod 6AT Heavyweight Torpedoes (HWT). This sale will include HWT containers, torpedo support, torpedo spare parts, publications, training, weapon system support, engineering and technical assistance. The total estimated program cost is $250 million.

Incuded is sixteen (16) Standard Missile-2 (SM-2) Block IIIA All-Up Rounds (AUR), forty-seven (47) MK 93 MOD 1 SM-2 Block IIIA Guidance Sections (GSs), and five (5) MK 45 MOD 14 SM-2 Block IIIA Target Detecting Devices (TDDs) Shrouds. This request also includes Seventeen (17) MK 11 MOD 6 SM-2 Block IIIA Autopilot Battery Units (APBUs) maneuverability upgrades on the GSs, sixty-nine (69) section containers and sixteen (16) AUR containers, operator manuals and technical documentation, U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical and logistics support services. The total estimated program cost is $125 million.

Also included are fifty (50) AGM-88B HARMs and ten (10) AGM-88B Training HARMs. This request also includes: HARM integration, LAU-l 18A Launchers, missile containers, spare and repair parts, support and test equipment, Joint Mission Planning System update, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistical and program support. The total estimated program cost is $147.5 million.