ROC Navy unveils land based HF-3 supersonic anti-ship cruise missile at TADTE 2013 show

: Posted On Monday, 19 August 2013 11:56

Naval Defense News - Taiwan

ROC Navy unveils land based HF-3 supersonic anti-ship cruise missile at TADTE 2013 show

At TADTE 2013, the Taipei Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition, ROC Navy (Republic of China - Taiwan) unveiled for the first time a land-based version of the locally designed and produced Hsiung Feng III (HF-3) supersonic anti-ship cruise missile. The mobile launcher is a 6 wheeled trailer carrying 4 canisters. Each canister can launch one HF-3 missile.

The mobile launcher is a 6 wheeled trailer carrying 4 canisters.

The Hsiung Feng III (standing for "Brave Wind III") is the third in the Hsiung Feng series of anti-ship missiles developed by the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology (CSIST) in Taiwan. The HF-3 missile uses a ramjet propulsion system, with two boosters for initial acceleration. Production of the ramjet-powered supersonic anti-ship missile began in 2007 and it is already deployed onboard ROC Navy Cheng Kung class and Kang Ding class Frigates.

Detailed view of the canisters and the tip of a Hsiung Feng III missile

No official figures have ever been released, however the Hsiung Feng III missile is expected to have a range of 130 Kilometers and is reported to be capable of reaching speeds of Mach 2. It uses inertial navigation to reach its target with terminal guidance with active radar. Its active radar seeker is an evolution of the one fitted in the HF-2 missile. HF-3 is speculated to be fitted with a large warhead capable to inflict major damages to large surface combatant ships with a single hit.

By fitting HF-3 on mobile launchers, Taiwan increases its ability in defending against an amphibious attack. Mobile launchers indeed offer the combined advantage of being harder to detect (hence harder to be destroyed) and offer greater tactical flexibility in case of conflict.

Each canister can launch one HF-3 missile.