Missile 'Disappearance' in Taiwan Test Explained by Experts Amid 'Fake' Claims

Questions have surfaced regarding a recent live-fire exercise involving the FGM-148 Javelin missile after official footage appeared to show the missile vanishing mid-flight before the target vessel detonated. The video, released by Taiwan's Military News Agency, sparked accusations from some media outlets and online commentators that the exercise was faked, with critics sarcastically calling it "live-action acting."

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The FGM-148 Javelin missile uses a soft launch; the main propulsion stage burns for a very short time after the missile reaches cruising speed, which is intended to avoid the tail flame continuously burning and exposing the shooter's position.

However, experts have stepped in to clarify the situation, attributing the visual anomaly to the Javelin missile's specific physical properties and the limitations of the camera used. They assert that the incident is a result of a misunderstanding of missile physics and optical photography, rather than any fabrication of the event.

Military enthusiasts and analysts point to the Javelin missile's "soft launch" system, where the main propulsion stage burns for a very short duration after the missile reaches cruising speed. This design minimizes the risk of exposing the shooter's position. Once the engine fuel is depleted, the tail flame extinguishes. The 12.7 cm diameter missile, losing its bright heat source, can then blend into the bright sea and sky background, making it difficult for standard wide-angle cameras without tracking capabilities to capture.

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When the engine fuel is depleted, the tail flame extinguishes. The 12.7 cm diameter missile, losing its bright heat source, blends into the bright sea and sky background, making it difficult for general wide-angle equipment without tracking to capture, naturally creating the illusion of 'disappearance'.

Furthermore, the missile's "top attack" mode, a key tactical feature designed to strike the weakest armored part of a vehicle from above, involves a high-arcing trajectory. The official vertical video, intended to capture both the launch site and the distant target, was limited by its angle and could not follow the missile's upward path. The final dive and impact were also outside the camera's frame due to the shooting angle.

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The missile flies out of the top of the frame. The final dive and hit on target No. 4 also cannot be captured due to the camera angle.

Cross-referencing with horizontal, long-lens footage from civilian channels reportedly shows the complete trajectory of the missile, from ascent to terminal dive and impact, validating the missile's performance. Experts emphasize that military intelligence analysis requires a solid understanding of equipment and tactics, and that relying solely on visual discrepancies can lead to incorrect conclusions.

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Rumors of the exercise being faked are debunked if one compares it with the horizontal tracking video filmed by civilian channels.