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The US State Department has greenlit a request for contractor assistance from Taiwan to support the use of Patriot missiles.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has announced the approval of a US$95 million ($126.5 million) proposal from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office for contractor technical assistance relating to the training, planning, fielding, deployment, operation, maintenance and sustainment of the Patriot Air Defense System.
The deal also includes the provision of associated equipment and logistics support as well as Patriot ground support equipment, spare parts and consumables.
“This proposed sale serves US national, economic, and security interests by supporting the recipient’s continuing efforts to modernise its armed forces and to maintain a credible defensive capability,” the DSCA noted.
“The proposed sale will help improve the security of the recipient and assist in maintaining political stability, military balance, economic and progress in the region.
“The proposed sale will help to sustain the recipient’s missile density and ensure readiness for air operations.”
This comes just months after Taiwan ordered equipment and services to support participation in the Patriot International Engineering Services Program (IESP) and Field Surveillance Program (FSP) over the next five years.
The deal, worth an estimated US$100 million ($139 million), includes engineering services to support, maintain and enhance the Patriot Air Defense System, and missile field surveillance support for legacy Guidance Enhanced Missile (GEM) and Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missiles.
Taiwan’s Patriot missile stock is expected to serve as a deterrent to regional threats amid a ramp-up in aggression from China.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense has already reported multiple breaches of its air defence identification zone (ADIZ) this month from China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF).
[Related: US to deliver Patriot sustainment services to Taiwan]
