[Apparpsmose]

Posted On: May 14, 2012

TAIPEI (AFP): Taiwan is arming more of its fleet with its new "carrier killer" anti-ship missiles as China conducts further sea trials
of its first aircraft carrier, local media said Monday.

Five of the Taiwanese navy's eight Perry-class frigates have been armed with the supersonic Hsiung Feng (Brave Wind) III weapons,
the Taipei-based China Times said.

Some of its smaller patrol boats have also been equipped with the missiles, which are designed to cruise at a speed of Mach 2.0, or
twice the speed of sound, with a range of up to 130 kilometres, the newspaper said.

The China Times said the navy plans to deploy 120 such missiles -- dubbed "aircraft carrier killers" by their developer -- in a project
costing an estimated USD 400 million.

The missiles were first unveiled by Taiwan in August last year on the same day that China began sea trials for its first aircraft carrier,
a reconditioned 1980s-era warship originally commissioned by the Soviet navy.

[skydaypat]

As purveyors of arms to Taiwan, the belligerence of the US towards China is patent to all.