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Taiwan weapons maker alleges contractor tried to supply ‘fake products made in China’ for missile system

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Lawrence Chung, South China Morning Post

Taiwan’s top weapons maker has alleged that a local contractor attempted to supply it with substandard components, sourced from mainland China, for the island’s missile defence systems.The National Chung-shan Institute of Science and Technology on Thursday said it had discovered the silicon-controlled rectifiers (SCRs) – which it described as “counterfeit products made in China” – while inspecting a delivery last year.They should have been US-made components, according to the contract.In a statement, the institute said it had uncovered the contractor’s “illicit act” during an inspection in March last year. “We took the case to the judicial authorities and sued [the firm] for compensation,” the institute said.It did not name the company and the case has yet to go to court.SCRs are an important current-controlling component used in Taiwan’s missile defence systems. Made from silicon, the device is used to discharge a capacitor through the detonator to fire the warhead.It comes as Taiwan is seeking to boost its defences amid growing military threats from Beijing, which sees the self-ruled island as part of its territory – to be taken by force if necessary. Beijing has ramped up pressure on the island, including by sending warplanes into its air defence zone on an almost daily basis.The institute made the statement after Taipei-based Mirror Media magazine reported that a company in Taoyuan had allegedly supplied inferior SCRs to the institute that were said to have been made by a mainland Chinese firm.The report claimed the component was even available to buy on Chinese e-commerce site Taobao, owned by Alibaba Group Holding, which also owns the South China Morning Post.The magazine said SCRs were used in the Tien Kung, or Sky Bow, missiles – including a land-based surface-to-air weapon system designed to intercept warplanes, cruise missiles, anti-radiation missiles and short-range tactical missiles.According to the report, three people from the local contractor have been arrested over the incident.The Taoyuan District Prosecutor’s Office, which is reportedly handling the case, was not available for comment.In its statement, the institute said there was no security concern over the case since none of the “fake products” had been used in its missile defence systems. “This has not affected our production of weapons and related tasks,” it said.Lawmakers on Thursday called for the case to be investigated. Cheng Li-wun, a legislator with the main opposition Kuomintang party, said the Control Yuan government watchdog should look into whether there was any collusion.“The legislature has recently approved a special budget of close to NT$240 billion [US$8.6 billion] for the defence ministry to purchase weapons produced locally, and of that, NT$180 billion [US$6.5 billion] would be appropriated for the institute to contract local suppliers,” she noted.Her call for an inquiry was echoed by Wang Ting-yu, from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party.The case is considered serious, given the important function of the component involved, according to Chang Yen-ting, a visiting professor at National Tsing Hua University in Hsinchu, Taiwan.“SCRs are considered to be a missile’s ‘heart’ – they help trigger the firing of a missile,” said Chang, who is also a retired air force lieutenant general. “So if a poor-quality component is used, it could cause a problem with the electrical current and that could result in failure to fire the missile.”<div>WATCH</div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe __idm_id__="13549569" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1657367" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

Taiwan’s top weapons maker has alleged that a local contractor attempted to supply it with substandard components, sourced from mainland China, for the island’s missile defense systems.

Taiwan weapons maker alleges contractor tried to supply ‘fake products made in China’ for missile system

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Taiwan weapons maker alleges contractor tried to supply ‘fake products made in China’ for missile system

Lawrence Chung,

South China Morning Post

Published Feb 11, 2022 02:03 PM PHT

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