Taiwan Develops Hypersonic Missile That Can Travel 6 Times T

Facing growing threats from China, Taiwan has reportedly developed a new hypersonic missile, named Qingtian, capable of traveling at speeds of Mach 6. This missile, with a range exceeding 1,243 miles (2,000 kilometers), is being mass-produced and is expected to enter service with Taiwan’s military soon, according to reports from Liberty Time Net.

The Qingtian missile builds on Taiwan’s previous missile development programs, such as the Yunfeng and Yungeng II. These earlier projects laid the groundwork for the advanced capabilities of the new missile in terms of range, speed, and operational flexibility. Some units of the Qingtian missile have already been delivered to Taiwan’s Air Force missile brigades.

The missile’s development was led by the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST), with support from the Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense under its National Defense Advanced Technology Research Plan. Taiwan is also working on a system that would allow the Qingtian to be deployed from mobile launchers. In this regard, the country is in discussions with Czech and American companies to produce mobile launch platforms, with the Tatra Force 12X12 trucks from the Czech firm being considered for their off-road capabilities and adaptability to Taiwan’s mountainous terrain. The American-made Oshkosh M983 is also being evaluated as an alternative for the mobile launchers.

The Mach 6 speed of the Qingtian missile makes it highly challenging for enemy air defense systems to track and intercept. This speed would allow it to bypass traditional defense systems and strike with little time for reaction. In the past, Taiwan developed the Yun Feng supersonic land-attack cruise missile, which has a range of 745 miles (1,200 kilometers). An extended-range version was also developed, offering a range that matches that of the Qingtian missile.

The rising tension in the Indo-Pacific region, particularly with China’s increasing pressure on Taiwan, has driven the island’s push for advanced hypersonic missile technology. In 2024, Taiwan revealed plans to develop scramjet technology, further enhancing the capabilities of its hypersonic weapons.

One key advantage of hypersonic missiles, including the Qingtian, is their ability to reach the upper atmosphere and stay beyond the range of air and missile defense systems until the moment they strike, making it nearly impossible for defenses to react in time.

This new development in Taiwan’s missile capabilities comes amid growing military advancements in hypersonic weapons by other global powers. In December 2024, the United States Army and Navy announced the successful test of their long-range hypersonic weapon, the Dark Eagle, which boasts a range of 1,725 miles.

Both China and Russia have also developed hypersonic weapons, and India successfully test-fired a 930-mile-range hypersonic missile in 2024.