Taiwan gained critical information about Beijing’s ballistic missile launch this week thanks to the island’s long-range early-warning radar system and intelligence sharing with Washington.
The island’s AN/FPS-115 Pave Paws long-range early-warning radar detected the missile soon after it was launched from a nuclear-powered submarine in the South China Sea, the Liberty Times reported on Wednesday, quoting a senior Taiwanese official.
The system tracked the missile’s trajectory during the initial phase of flight while it remained within the radar’s coverage, the official said.
The giant radar is housed at the Leshan Radar Station in northern Taiwan’s Hsinchu county and was bought from the United States.
At 2,600 metres above sea level, it can detect missile launches up to 5,000km (3,100 miles) away, making it a cornerstone of Taiwan’s early-warning network.
The radar’s range allows it to monitor a wide area covering mainland China, the South China Sea and the Korean peninsula. Taiwan’s customised version of the system has also been upgraded to improve detection of low-altitude cruise missiles and tactical ballistic missiles.
