According to the Pentagon, the contract is a firm fixed-price agreement that obligates $698,948,760 in Foreign Military Sales funds from the U.S. government’s 2026 fiscal year budget. The work associated with the sale is projected to be completed by February 2031, reflecting the scale and long-term nature of the delivery and integration process. Senior U.S. diplomat based in Taipei said the approval reaffirms Washington’s “Rock Solid” commitment to bolstering Taiwan’s self-defence capabilities.
United States has formally approved the sale of an advanced air-defence missile system to Taiwan in a deal worth close to $700 million | Image: Republic
New Delhi: The United States has formally approved the sale of an advanced air-defence missile system to Taiwan in a deal worth close to $700 million, marking one of the most significant upgrades to the island’s defence architecture in recent years. The announcement underscores Washington’s continued support for Taipei’s security at a time of heightened military pressure from Beijing.
The defence package includes the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS), a medium-range air-defence system jointly developed by RTX and its partners. NASAMS is widely regarded for its precision and reliability, having been deployed in multiple conflict zones, including Ukraine, where it has demonstrated strong performance under real combat conditions.
With this sale, Taiwan will become one of only a few countries in the Indo-Pacific region to operate the system. Currently, only Australia and Indonesia field NASAMS batteries, positioning Taiwan among a small circle of nations equipped with this modern defensive shield. The acquisition is expected to enhance Taiwan’s ability to counter a range of airborne threats, including aircraft, drones, and cruise missiles.
According to the Pentagon, the contract is a firm fixed-price agreement that obligates $698,948,760 in Foreign Military Sales funds from the U.S. government’s 2026 fiscal year budget. The work associated with the sale is projected to be completed by February 2031, reflecting the scale and long-term nature of the delivery and integration process.
A senior U.S. diplomat based in Taipei said the approval reaffirms Washington’s “Rock Solid” commitment to bolstering Taiwan’s self-defence capabilities. The official emphasized that strengthening Taiwan’s air-defence network remains a key priority for the United States, especially as the island continues to face increasingly assertive military activity in its vicinity.
The latest approval follows another arms sale cleared just days earlier, in which the United States agreed to provide Taiwan with $330 million worth of fighter-jet parts. Taken together, the back-to-back approvals highlight a sustained and expanding military partnership aimed at enhancing Taiwan’s overall readiness and deterrence posture.
The NASAMS package is expected to significantly reinforce Taiwan’s layered air-defence strategy, adding a modern, combat-tested missile system to its arsenal. Defence analysts say the acquisition sends a clear signal about the evolving security cooperation between Washington and Taipei as geopolitical tensions in the region continue to intensify.
