Taiwan will acquire Raytheon’s NASAMS air-defence system in a deal valued at about £500 million (roughly $700 million) to bolster protection against aircraft, attack drones and cruise missiles. The medium-range, ground-based system can engage targets to about 20 miles and at altitudes between roughly 10,000–50,000 ft. Delivery is expected by 2031, and NASAMS has been combat-tested in Ukraine where coalition reports credit it with high interception performance.
Taiwan to Acquire £500m Raytheon NASAMS Air-Defence System to Strengthen Deterrence
Taiwan has agreed to purchase the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) from Raytheon in a deal worth roughly £500 million (about $700 million). The ground-based, medium-range system is intended to improve Taiwan’s ability to detect, track and intercept hostile aircraft, attack drones and cruise missiles.
Capabilities and delivery
NASAMS can engage targets at an approximate range of 20 miles (around 32 km) and operate against threats at altitudes between roughly 10,000 and 50,000 feet. The system also has some limited capability to counter short-range ballistic missiles. The delivery programme is expected to be completed by 2031, after which Taiwan will become the third operator of NASAMS in Asia, following Australia and Indonesia.
Combat record and context
NASAMS has seen combat use in Ukraine. According to Colonel Per Steinar Trøite, who leads Norway’s contribution to the international air-defence effort there, the system has been credited with intercepting more than 900 aerial threats and achieving an estimated 94% interception rate. These figures come from coalition reporting and reflect its performance in that specific conflict.
“It should be clear today and will remain clear into the future that America’s commitments to Taiwan are rock solid,” said Raymond Greene, the de facto US ambassador in Taipei. “We are backing these words with actions, with a focus on supporting Taiwan’s efforts to achieve peace through strength. Nowhere is this more apparent than in our growing defence industrial cooperation.”
Most of Taiwan’s defence equipment is supplied by the United States under the long-standing framework established by the Taiwan Relations Act, which facilitates substantial but unofficial security ties between Washington and Taipei. Separately, the US recently approved the sale of fighter jets and associated aircraft parts to Taiwan; Beijing has lodged formal protests in response, calling such moves provocative.
What this means for regional security
The acquisition of NASAMS forms part of Taipei’s broader strategy to harden its defences amid persistent tensions with Beijing, which regards the island as part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force. While no single system can fully deter all threats, NASAMS is intended to strengthen Taiwan’s layered air-defence network and improve its ability to protect key facilities and population centres.
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