Taiwan says ‘T-Dome’ to better integrate air defence system for higher kill rate

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TAIPEI (Reuters) -Taiwan’s “T-Dome” air defence system will establish a more efficient and integrated “sensor-to-shooter” mechanism for a higher kill rate, with a year-end special budget to propose specific spending on the system, the defence minister said on Monday.

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te unveiled the multi-layered air defence system he called “T-Dome” on Friday, part of government plans to modernise the military to better deter China, which views the island as its own territory and has ramped up military and political pressure.

Speaking to reporters at parliament in Taipei, Defence Minister Wellington Koo said Lai’s proposal referred to the “sensor-to-shooter” concept, to integrate systems for a faster, more effective response to enemy targets.

“If you do achieve integration, the probability of successful interception naturally increases and you can conduct firepower coordination with greater efficiency and better resource allocation,” he said.

“Sensor-to-shooter” is something the U.S. military has been focusing on, including with the Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control concept to connect sensors and shooters into one single system.

Taiwan’s existing surface-to-air defence systems are centred around the U.S.-built Patriot and Taiwan-made Sky Bow missiles, as well as Stinger missiles for low-level intercepts. Taiwan is developing the Chiang-Kong missile for high-altitude interception too.

“If we don’t integrate anti-missile, anti-air and anti-drone capabilities, we won’t be able to achieve efficient interception. We will prioritise procurement that emphasises mobility and high survivability,” Koo said.

A special budget to come by the end of the year will focus on new equipment for the “T-Dome”, he added.

“T-Dome” also fits into Taiwan’s asymmetric approach to warfare, Koo said, to make its forces, which are much smaller than China’s, agile and able to pack a greater and more targeted punch.

Lai, who rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims, has pledged to increase defence spending to 5% of GDP by 2030.

China has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control. While Beijing is developing new weapons like stealth fighters and aircraft carriers, its armed forces are also grappling with an ongoing crackdown on corruption.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Additional reporting by Roger Tung; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)