Seeking to move forward in the process of integrating it into its arsenal, the Taiwanese Air Force is preparing its F-CK-1 fighters to carry out the first live-fire test of the new Hsiung Feng III (HF-3) anti-ship missile, which is being developed by the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST). According to local media reports, the institution’s current goal is to carry out the test on March 26, and if successful, it would pave the way for funds allocated to its mass production and procurement to be included in the 2027 budget.
Expanding on the details, local analysts have even noted that on March 16, the Taiwanese Navy deployed the vessel Da Wu on a mission to tow a former Jinjiang-class patrol ship that has already been decommissioned and would be used as a target for the HF-3 tests. Moreover, with that vessel positioned off the coast of Jiupeng, the aforementioned NCSIST issued the corresponding notices to the civilian population regarding the exclusion zone established around the area where the tests will be conducted, which will remain in effect between March 26 and 27.
On the other hand, reviewing the technical characteristics of the new HF-3 missile that will equip the Taiwanese Air Force, it can be noted that it is a supersonic weapon capable of flying at low altitude before striking its target in order to make interception more difficult. In its original variants, the missile is already part of Taiwan’s naval vessels and land-based batteries, but the version that will be tested from an F-CK-1 fighter constitutes a modified model aimed at reducing its size and weight to make it suitable for air launch, keeping its length below 5.5 meters and its weight below 900 kilograms.
In that regard, the information available so far places it among the missiles commonly referred to as “carrier killers,” with a range of around 400 kilometers and a 225-kilogram warhead designed to neutralize its targets. In terms of propulsion, each missile is powered by a ramjet engine complemented by an external booster that would allow it to reach the required speed before activating the main engine; the latter remains a feature not yet confirmed for the air-launched version.
Beyond its technical characteristics, it is also worth highlighting that the Taiwanese Air Force has already spent months conducting simulated tests with the new HF-3 anti-ship missile, also using F-CK-1 fighters as the launch platform. As background for this, it is useful to refer to last August, when the force announced the successful completion of the first simulations off the coast of Taitung as part of the integration process. This represented an important milestone and a sign that the project was viable, despite its several delays in terms of scheduling.
For Taiwan’s local industry, success in developing the HF-3 would also mean joining a small club of actors in the world with the capability to manufacture air-launched supersonic anti-ship missiles, a potential pillar of the island’s defensive capabilities in the event of conflict. In particular, it is worth recalling that Russia fields its Kh-31 and Kh-32 missiles, while China has the YJ-12 and YJ-15 models; India, for its part, showcases its BrahMos missiles developed jointly with Russian industry.
Images used for illustrative purposes
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