The Taiwan Air Force is conducting tests with a new weapon that could contribute to the country’s defense against a likely invasion attempt by the People’s Republic of China.
The project involves an air-launched variant of the HF3 hypersonic missile, which is already used by the Taiwanese military in stationary batteries and self-propelled vehicles.
An image shared on social media shows an AIDC F-CK-1 Ching-kuo fighter jet — developed locally — carrying the new hypersonic anti-ship missile.
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The HF3 for the air-to-surface role has a very distinct visible feature from the land-based version, as it does not have a twin jet engine to propel it at the start of flight.
Because it uses a ramjet engine, the HF3 needs to reach a certain speed to be activated and then reach hypersonic speed before reaching the target.
In the land- or mobile-launched version, the HF3 uses a dual rocket engine for its initial thrust, but in the air-to-surface version, the aircraft itself provides the ideal speed for activating the ramjet.
Because it does not have this launch booster, the air-to-surface HF3 is 200 kg lighter, reducing the launch weight from 1,500 kg to 1,300 kg.
However, in 2022, the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) would have developed the design for this air-to-surface version with a takeoff weight of only 900 kg.
Chinese People’s Army Navy Expands Fleet of Ships
The HF3 begins its integration with the F-CK-1 Ching-kuo, which will have to deal with a missile that is supposedly 5.5 m long and 36 cm in diameter, much smaller than the land-based one, which is 6.1 m long and 46 cm wide.
In the featured photo, an F-CK-1 Ching-kuo appears with 2 HF3 air-to-surface missiles on the underwing pylons, as well as 2 Sky Sword air-to-air missiles and 1 droppable ventral tank.
The Chinese People’s Army Navy has been expanding its fleet of warships, including a new and larger aircraft carrier, the Fujian.
The vessel uses electromagnetic catapults to launch embarked aircraft, as on the US Navy’s nuclear-powered supercarriers.
