Taiwan's Sun Yat-sen Academy of Sciences announced on November 27 that it has started mass production of the Tianjian 2 land-based short-range air defense missile system to meet the latest purchase order of the Taiwan Army. The mass production of "Tianjian 2" means that the Taiwan military is gradually improving the construction of its "layered air defense network", which will target the People's Liberation Army fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, drones and cruise missiles. So, after the mass production of the "Tianjian 2" air defense system, does Taiwan have the ability to create greater trouble for our military operations?
In fact, this time, the reason why the Taiwan Zhongshan Academy of Sciences high-profile publicity "Tianjian 2" air defense system began mass production is because it has just passed the system test and officially "won" the Taiwan Army this big customer. It should be known that the "Tianjian 2" has been tested in March this year in accordance with the Taiwan army's standards, but at that time only one combat control vehicle and a missile launcher participated, and did not carry out the "full-system functional joint test" based on actual combat as required by the Taiwan army, so the Taiwan Army refused to enter the acceptance process of the "Tianjian 2" air defense system. The "Tianjian 2" air defense system, which was previously delivered to the Taiwan army, was also found to have problems with its software, command and control system and launcher when it was used. To this end, it was arranged to conduct a "retest" in July, which barely allowed the "Tianjian 2" to pass the system test of the Taiwan army and be transferred to the mass production stage.
It is reported that the Taiwan military procurement of land-based "Tianjian 2" short-range air defense system cost a total of 278 million US dollars, including the purchase of 30 mobile missile launchers, six combat control centers, six phased array radar systems and 246 "Tianjian 2" air defense missiles. The system's "Tianjian 2" interceptor is 4 meters long and weighs a total of 350 kilograms with the launch storage tank. The missile has midcourse inertial navigation, data link, terminal active radar guidance and electronic countermeasures capabilities, with an effective range of 15 kilometers. After the Taiwan military procurement, it will be deployed in coordination with the US-made "Avenger" terminal air defense system using "Stinger" missiles, and is expected to intercept PLA fighters, helicopters, drones and cruise missiles at low altitude to fill the gap in the Taiwan military's prevention and control network.
In fact, as early as 2019, when the "Tianjian 2" was determined to be purchased, the Taiwan military was ready to replace the old "Soft Tree air defense missile system" of the Tainan Garrison with it, making it the main equipment of Tainan air defense. At that time, the Taiwan army deployed in Taipei and Taichung had already replaced the US-made "Avenger air defense system", so the Taiwan Army felt that it was sufficient, so it was not in a hurry to replace it. In fact, as far as the Taiwan Army's backward short-range air defense equipment is concerned, it has long been unable to meet the increasing development of the PLA's strike means. However, before 2018, the Taiwan Army was still "obsessed with confidence" that it could meet its field air defense needs with the self-developed "Tianjian 1" and the US-made "Avengers" air defense missiles, so before 2018, "Tianjian 2" had no effect on the marketing of the Taiwan army.
But I did not expect the Taiwan Army to suddenly spend $278 million in the 2019 budget to begin purchasing the "Tianjian 2" air defense system, perhaps because there are still people in the top echelon of the Taiwan Army with good minds! According to the original plan, Tianjian 2 was supposed to deliver the first 41 missiles in 2020 and complete the delivery in 2026. However, due to a variety of factors, the mass production of "Tianjian 2" has been delayed, and the prototype system delivered to the Taiwan army for testing has also exposed many problems, which the Taiwan army refused to accept. Even in the "second test" in July this year, the performance of "Tianjian 2" was not 100% satisfied with the Taiwan army, but at least the "green light" was bright, so that it could start mass production according to the plan. This may be because it judged that the current situation in the Taiwan Strait is serious, and there is no time to wait for the "Tianjian 2" to be thoroughly improved before purchasing, and it can only be expected that the Zhongshan Academy of Sciences can produce and improve.
In fact, no matter whether the "Tianjian 2" short-range air defense system developed by Taiwan is as advanced as its propaganda, it is certain that it will pose a threat to the PLA's combat operations! After all, its strike range is a variety of low-altitude aircraft and missiles, and from the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, it can be found that low-altitude aircraft on both sides - especially helicopters and attack aircraft - are most vulnerable to short-range surface-to-air missiles. I'm sure you've seen many videos of portable anti-aircraft missiles with a range of only a few kilometers hitting helicopters, attack planes and fighter-bombers. The "Tianjian 2" with a range several times greater than its own, the threat to the PLA's low-altitude combat force will be self-evident.
No matter how powerful the performance of a single weapon is, it cannot fight against the perfect "system strike"! Let alone just responsible for the Taiwan army's "air defense network" innermost security "Tianjian 2"? If the Taiwan army really began to use the "Tianjian 2" to participate in combat, then it means that the middle and long-range air defense system has been paralyzed! Therefore, at this time, even if the end or short-range air defense weapons such as "Tianjian 2" in the hands of the Taiwan army are no more powerful, it is just "meat on the chopping board". And for these "flies" that harass our army's helicopter operations, they will certainly be wiped out with the cooperation of observation drones and "massive" patrol missiles! Moreover, the Taiwanese military spends a lot of money on expensive American-made advanced equipment, but it is very stingy in buying short-range air defense systems that could cause big problems for the People's Liberation Army in numbers.
Therefore, although it seems that Tianjian 2 has begun mass production, only 246 missiles will be produced for five or six years. And the Taiwan army will also deploy these only a few sets of systems after receiving them, diluting its already weak field air defense capabilities. People say that when the PLA encounters this "pig opponent", will it still care about how advanced the weapons it buys?
