Defense budget lifts the veil on Taiwan’s missile projects

Taiwan’s proposed military budget has indirectly exposed the existence of a missile system long kept out of public view. The non-classified portion of the budget says that Ching Tien I supersonic cruise missiles have completed production and entered service.

The document includes a program titled the Fei Chi II weapons system and equipment maintenance program, scheduled to run from next year through 2031. Chinese-language media have described the reference as an official leak linked to the Ching Tien II hypersonic missile. The budget entry also implicitly acknowledges that Ching Tien I missiles exist and are operational.

The apparent declassification signals that Taiwan’s military is moving toward publicly acknowledging a strike capability, likely to strengthen deterrence. Taiwan began secretly developing the Yun Feng medium-range supersonic cruise missile after the 1996 Taiwan Strait Crisis. The China Times reported that the program ended in 2014 after a limited production run, and that its design became the basis for Ching Tien I.

The reported Ching Tien I uses a ramjet engine, reaches Mach 3, and has an effective range of 1,200 to 1,500 km. Its size and design mean it mainly relies on silos or mountain installations, which satellite surveillance can detect. Ching Tien II reportedly uses a scramjet engine, reaches Mach 5, and has a range exceeding 2,000 km. It is designed for mobile launch, with Taiwan’s defense ministry considering a European-made 12x12 military truck as its platform. The article ends mid-sentence while describing how truck-mounted systems could use highways and heavy-duty routes.