Sky Bow IV

Last updated
Sky Bow IV / Tien Kung IV
TK-4 ABM launch closeup.jpg
Type Air Defense
Anti-ballistic missile
Place of originFlag of the Republic of China.svg  Republic of China
Production history
Designer NCSIST
Specifications
Engine Solid-propellant rocket
Flight ceiling70-100km
Launch
platform
 TEL

Tien Kung IV, or Sky Bow IV, is a air defense system currently being designed and trialed by the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) in Taiwan. Development codename is Strong Bow. Its canister is 7.61 meters long, longer than the 5.49 meter of the Sky Bow III system currently in service. Its ceiling and range are greater than the ones of Sky Bow and MIM-104 Patriot. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Sky Bow IV/Strong Bow I

In 2023 development work on a new BMD missile, dubbed Strong Bow, with a maximum interception altitude of 70km was completed. While often reported as an extended range variant of the TK-3, the Strong Bow is a distinct missile. Differences from the TK-3 include the fuselage, nosecone, and propulsion system. It also has a domestically produced microwave power amplifier and a Ka band seeker. [4] [5]

The Strong Bow I was made public at the 2023 Taipei Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition (TADTE) but was not displayed. [6] A Strong Bow I system was displayed at the 2025 TADTE. The system includes a large mobile radar. [7] [8] A single Stong Bow I launcher carries four missiles. [9]

Testing of the system was completed in May 2025. [10]

Strong Bow II

A longer ranged derivative of the Strong Bow I with an intercept altitude of 100km or more is in development. [5] Two variants exist, IIA which is an anti-ballistic missile and IIB which is a surface-to-surface ballistic missile with a range of 1,000 km. [11]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "國防產業發展條例列管軍品清單" (PDF). Ministry of National Defense official website. Archived from the original (PDF) on Feb 1, 2025. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
  2. ↑ 羅添斌. "天弓四型飛彈傳115年度量產 攔截高度達70公里成為反飛彈最前線" [Tien Kung IV missile reportedly goes into mass production in 2015, interception altitude reaches 70 kilometers, becoming the forefront of anti-missile defense]. 自由時報電子報-軍武. Archived from the original on 2024-08-16. Retrieved 2024-08-16.
  3. ↑ 劉宇捷. "台灣極機密飛彈有多少款？大盤點神秘雄昇、天弓四、雲峰一次看懂" [How many types of top-secret missiles does Taiwan have? A comprehensive review of the mysterious Xiongsheng, Tiangong IV, and Yunfeng]. 自由時報電子報-軍武. Archived from the original on 2024-08-16. Retrieved 2024-08-21.
  4. ↑ 朱, 明 (September 10, 2018). "【獨家】攔截軍機繞台及東風21型飛彈 弓三增程型飛彈完成驗證提早部署". Up Media . Archived from the original on May 28, 2022. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  5. 1 2 Lo, Tien-pin; Hetherington, William. "New missile bolsters air defense: MND". Taipei Times. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  6. ↑ Kajal, Kapil. "TADTE 2023: NCSIST develops enhanced variants of Sky Bow III SAM system". janes.com. Janes. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  7. ↑ TREVITHICK, JOSEPH. "Taiwan Just Unveiled Its Own High-Altitude Anti-Ballistic Missile System". twz.com. The War Zone. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  8. ↑ Chuanren, Chen. "Taiwan Reveals Strong Bow Ballistic Missile Defense System". aviationweek.com. Aviation Week. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  9. ↑ Arthur, Gordon. "At Taiwan arms show, vendors bank on cheap weapons for big damage". defensenews.com. Defense News. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  10. ↑ Tien-pin, Lo; Chin, Jonathan. "Tien Kung IV missiles' initial tests done". taipeitimes.com. Taipei Times. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  11. ↑ Tien-pin, Lo; Chin, Jonathan. "Budget for military systems planned". taipeitimes.com. Taipei Times. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
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