Sky Sword

TC-1 Sky Sword I

Sky sword (Chinese: 天劍, Tien Chien) are a series of air-to-air missile systems developed by the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology in Taiwan for the Republic of China Air Force (ROCAF).[1]

Development

Sky sword 1 (TC-1) missile was developed in the mid-1980s and revealed in May 1986, as Taiwan's first indigenous air-to-air missile.[1] The production of the missile started in 1991 and they entered ROCAF service in 1993. It was further developed into Sky Sword II (TC-2) missile during the 1990s.[2][3]

Sky sword 1 (TC-I)

Sky sword I (Chinese: 天劍一, Tien Chien I) is a short range infrared guided air-to-air missile. The missile has fire and forget slave-by-radar capabilities. It consists of a high explosive warhead, a solid propellant motor and a guidance control unit.[2]

Sky sword 2 (TC-II)

Sky Sword II (天劍二, Tien Chien II) is a medium-range, radar guided air-to-air missile. It has an inertial navigation system, a data-link for mid-course guidance and active radar homing for terminal guidance, beyond visual range. It also has ECCM capability and can engage multiple targets.[4] According to Su Tzu-yun, Chief Executive Officer at the Center for Advanced Technology at Tamkang University, they are a cost-effective design which can perform a key role in Taiwan's defense strategy, and substantially offset China’s air superiority.[5] Some details of its design were revealed for the first time at the Paris Air Show in 2015.[6]

Variants

TC-2N

A ship launched, surface-to-air version was later developed and designated TC-2N. It began development in 1994 and was first tested against a low-flying drone in 1997. This development was revealed to the public in 2005 and the intention to make it compatible with vertical launch methods was later announced in 2006. The first ship-based launch was tested in mid 2014.[7]

The missile has all weather capability, with thrust-vectoring, can engage anti-ship missiles and aircraft. It has a booster at the end to increase its range, and with the folding fin/wing design to fit into the canister.[7]

TC-2A

TC-2A is an Anti-Radiation Missile, similar to US AGM-88 HARM. It is reported to be 3.593 meters long, 19 cm in diameter, weighs 184 kg (warhead weighs 22 kg), and with a range of 100 km.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Jane's Weapon Systems. F. Watts. 1987.
  2. 1 2 "NCSIST". www.ncsist.org.tw. Retrieved 2017-02-12.
  3. ↑ "NCSIST". www.ncsist.org.tw. Retrieved 2017-02-12.
  4. ↑ "NCSIST". www.ncsist.org.tw. Retrieved 2017-02-12.
  5. ↑ "Redefining Taiwan's air defense - Taipei Times".
  6. ↑ "Weapons institute releases new video to be aired at Paris show - Politics - FOCUS TAIWAN - CNA ENGLISH NEWS".
  7. 1 2 "NCSIST". www.ncsist.org.tw. Retrieved 2017-02-12.
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