Taiwan’s Secret Missile System Appears in Public for the First Time After Long Absence

During the large-scale training exercises of the People’s Liberation Army of China around Taiwan, a container launcher with a secret Hsiung Feng IIE (HF-2E) cruise missile appeared on the island’s roads for the first time in a long time.

This system, which is capable of striking targets deep in mainland China, was developed in the early 2000s but has rarely been publicly demonstrated, TWZ reports.

The launcher reportedly traveled from Hualien south to Taitung, along the east coast.

At first, it was identified as a Haifeng anti-ship brigade vehicle, but experts noted the characteristics of the HF-2E.

The first photos and videos of this missile appeared only in the summer of 2023, although, according to local media, it has been in service for more than a decade, and mass production began in 2011.

The HF-2E is not directly related to the Hsiung Feng II anti-ship missile. It is a land-launched cruise missile with similar functions to the US Tomahawk.

There are two known versions: the basic version with a range of 300-600 km and the extended Hsiung Sheng, which can hit targets at a distance of up to 1,500 km.

The weapon includes several types of warheads: from high-explosive to anti-bunker and cluster munitions.

Guidance is carried out using GPS and an inertial system supplemented by TERCOM technology, which allows flying at low altitudes and avoiding air defense. Some sources also mention an infrared sensor for more precise guidance in the final phase of the flight.

The deployment of the HF-2E during China’s maneuvers seems to be a logical step: Taiwan is seeking to make it more difficult for the enemy to destroy mobile launchers and demonstrate its readiness for counterattacks.

In addition to the HF-2E, the island’s arsenal includes the Yun Feng supersonic cruise missile capable of reaching Beijing and Wan Chien air-to-air missiles.

China’s maneuvers, dubbed ‘Justice Mission 2025,’ were the sixth since 2022 and the largest in scale.