On Thursday, a U.S. congressional committee questioned the U.S. Navy on “alarming delays” in the delivery of weapons to Taiwan. The committee inquired as to why, in certain cases, manufacturing would not resume for months or years after purchase agreements were made.
In a letter to Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro, Representatives Young Kim and Mike Gallagher, the chairs of the House of Representatives select committee on China, stated that time was running out to prevent military action by China toward democratically self-governing Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its territory.
“Bureaucratic delays within the Navy are impeding the timely production and delivery of key weapons to Taiwan, including critical anti-ship missiles, and undermining efforts to prevent war,” the M.P.s stated.
They emphasized the necessity of SLAM-ER and anti-ship Harpoon missiles, which the United States has long pledged to supply to Taiwan.
The M.P.s noted that it took the Navy until April 2023 to sign a contract to manufacture 400 ground-launched Harpoon missiles for Taiwan, two and a half years after the Defense Department had announced in October 2020 that the weapons would be sold to Taiwan. This may delay delivery past 2027, which U.S. officials claim is China’s planned date for being prepared for an invasion.
According to Gallagher and Kim, the Navy still hadn’t requested bids from contractors to construct 60 air-launched Harpoons and 135 SLAM-ER missiles, even after Taiwan approved agreements to purchase them in December 2022. They stated that those two systems were not the only ones with long timetables.
They expressed serious concern about “the inability to supply key weapons at such a consequential moment in our efforts to prevent war.” They requested that the Navy offer evaluations on expediting contracting and manufacturing, as well as explain dates for the delivery of Harpoon missiles and calls for bids.
China has insisted time and time again that Washington cease its alleged provocative backing for the island’s military.
The U.S. is Taiwan’s main arms supplier, and, like other nations, it has no diplomatic relations with the island. Senior U.S. military officials have also acknowledged the necessity for expedited delivery.
Taiwan has recently complained about delays in receiving other weapons from the United States, including anti-aircraft missiles called Stinger. Taiwan has occasionally requested assistance from the United States in locating equipment from allies or other vendors.
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