Taiwan is installing Bee Eye radars on its outlying islands to track PLA buzzing
- Defence ministry has signed a US$110 million contract with the island’s top weapons maker to supply 11 new radar systems
- They will be deployed on Dongyin and Quemoy, close to the Chinese mainland, as well as Pratas and Taiping in the South China Sea
It comes after several sorties by low-flying objects from mainland China in recent months that have raised concerns about air defences on these outposts. Low-flying aircraft and drones are difficult to detect but the Bee Eye active electronically scanned array radars – made in Taiwan – could help to eliminate this blind spot.
The defence ministry has signed a contract with the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, the island’s top weapons maker, for the supply of 11 of these radar systems, according to a report recently sent to the legislature for budget review.
“Total cost … amounts to NT$3.24749 billion [US$110 million] and funding would be spread over five years from 2022 to 2026,” the report said, adding that the ministry was seeking approval for NT$300 million of funding in the first year so that radars could be deployed from 2023.
The Bee Eye radars will replace some of the Lockheed Martin portable search and target acquisition radars (PSTAR) used on those islands.
Beijing has ramped up pressure on Taiwan in recent years and has not ruled out the use of force to bring the island under its control. That includes staging war games nearby and regularly sending warplanes into Taiwan’s air defence identification zone. There have also been at least three low-flying objects reported near Taiwan-controlled outposts in recent months.
