WorldTekhno.com – The causes of the conflict between China and Taiwan can be divided into three, namely the root cause of the conflict, the state of the country/region and the relationship between the two sides.
Despite being a country that has often angered China, China sees Taiwan as a separatist province and wants to take it back by force if necessary, while the Taiwanese consider their autonomous island as a separate country.
The reason China and Taiwan are enemies also dates back to the Chinese Civil War (1927-1949), which ended with the flight of Nationalist Kuomintang (KMT) troops led by Chiang Kai-shek to the island across the Taiwan Strait. then established the Republic of China (ROC).
China’s weapons system is developing rapidly, compared to Taiwan, but for weapons, Taiwan also receives supplies of U.S.-produced weapons.
U.S. arms supplies to the island have continued under President Joe Biden’s administration. Although relatively few, some of these weapons are considered successful in strengthening the Taiwanese military.
And the following are 5 U.S. weapons supplied to Taiwan by Joe Biden.
1.M109A6 Paladin Artillery System
The M109A6 Paladin artillery system is an alternative weapon provided by the United States to Taiwan. The Chinese-claimed island orders Paladin M109A6 with a deal value of USD 750 million in 2021.
The M109A6 Paladin is a self-propelled howitzer (SPH) artillery system developed by United Defense LP’s Land Systems Division. This weapon is included in the long-range artillery category because it has a range of 24 km to 30 km.
The artillery has a .39 caliber M284 155 mm cannon fitted with an M182 gun mount. The M109A6 Paladin can achieve a maximum rate of fire of up to eight shots per minute, or three shots in 15 seconds.
2.AGM-84L-1 Harpoon Block II Missiles
In 2022, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO) requested the purchase of 60 AGM-84L-1 Harpoon Block II AGM-84L-1 missiles for immediate delivery to its territory. With a deal value of USD 85.6 million, the AGM-84L-1 Harpoon Block II is known to be one of the missiles that has capable power.
This weapon has a highly explosive warhead that can easily destroy enemy defenses. The AGM-84L-1 Harpoon Block II missile has a length of 4.62 m, while the length of the missile launched from the air is only 3.84 m. The diameter of this missile is 34.3 cm, while the weight varies between 526 kg and 690.8 kg depending on the launch configuration.
3.AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder Missiles
Cited by Focus Taiwan, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense has signed a contract to purchase 100 AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder tactical missiles and related components worth NT$2.394 billion (USD78.63 million) from the United States.
The AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder is a complementary missile to the AIM 9M generation and is the most advanced missile in the U.S. The advantage of this missile is that it can be attached to the airframe and can reach the target while on the ground.
4.AGM-88B HARM missile
In March 2023, the U.S. government also approved Taiwan to purchase a weapons package worth USD 619 million to strengthen its defense capabilities. 100 AGM-88B HARM missiles are weapons that have been agreed upon by the two.
The missile will reportedly be used to supplement Taiwan’s F-16A/B fleet strength or its newly acquired C/D fleet. The AGM-88B HARM missile itself is a tactical air-to-surface anti-radiation missile designed to accommodate electronic transmissions. This weapon can detect, engage and destroy radar antennas or transmitters with ease.
5.AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM AIM-120C-8
AMRAAM is also included in the weapons agreed to by the United States in March. This weapon was purchased because it has the warfare capability that can be used in any weather.
Since it was developed in 1991, the AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM is a long-range missile that has a very good visual range. The 200 AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM missiles ordered by Taiwan will later be used to protect when members of its military conduct both day and night operations.***
Source:kompas.com
