Taiwanese studies stated that the NCIST is accelerating the testing to assemble information that may inform new stay hearth trials.
Taiwan’s air-launched Hsiung Feng III (HF-III or HF-3) Anti-Ship Missile (AShM) is now present process captive carry and drop trials from the RoCAF’s (Republic of China Air Power) F-CK-1 Ching-kuo IDF (Indigenous Protection Fighter), with checks carried out in June, July and final week this August, in keeping with studies from Liberty Instances. The HF-3 is an prolonged vary variant of the HF-2.
The bottom-launched coastal protection AShM was modified, in keeping with Taiwan Information, to make it “compact” for an air-launch, as a part of a program designated ‘Challenge Xiong Ying’. The adjustments included bringing its size inside 5.5 meters, diameter to 36 centimeters and weight between 900-1,000 kg.
A Liberty Instances report on Jun. 19, 2025, confirmed an IDF with two HF-3s, one on every of the wings, with red-and-white paint scheme bands and numbered AX-001 and AX-004, though we can’t see these designations clearly within the picture. The colours and designation point out these symbolize take a look at articles.
The missile is lacking two of its giant facet boosters, every with two tail-end fins. These are seen in an official picture of the HF-3 when launched from the bottom.
Taiwan Air Power F-CK-1A MLU “1490” carried out a drop take a look at of an air-launched HF-3 anti-ship missile take a look at spherical at Chihhang Air Base, jap Taiwan, on 8/6.
Image and information from Liberty Instances#Taiwan pic.twitter.com/0N2DmKcpmM
— Taiwan Information 247 (@TaiwanNews247) August 9, 2025
On Aug. 10, 2025, Liberty Instances revealed one other report with a picture of an IDF carrying a single HF-3 with the identical kind of marking, seen on the starboard (right-side) wing. The color schemes of the take a look at article in each photos is totally different from the gray paint scheme the HF-3 sported when two of them have been initially noticed on an IDF in February 2025.
In each the studies, Liberty Instances stated that the missile’s developer, NCIST (Nationwide Chung Shan Institute of Science and Expertise) is quickly accelerating by means of the progressive testing phases to assemble aerodynamic and mechanical information that may inform one other sequence of trials, anticipated to start on Aug. 15.
HF-3 checks thus far
The Liberty Instances report on Jun. 19, 2025, capturing the IDF with the 2 take a look at article HF-3s, noticed “vibrant” and “metallic” silver paints on the weapon, beside its tail management fins additionally sporting a red-yellow-blue coloration mixture. “It’s speculated that the following part will deal with testing the aerodynamic traits of the missile physique when it separates from the launcher to verify the bombing process and the operational security of the launcher,” Liberty Instances added.
The report speculated that the following stage may embrace “radar and distant management initiatives,” as per the machine translation. This means checks of the missile’s steering, seeker, navigation and what might be interpreted to be a mid-course target-updating functionality from the launching IDF through what normally are two-way information hyperlinks. Liberty Instances clarifies that it has not acquired affirmation from the NCIST on this regard.
🇹🇼Taiwan’s Xiong Zhi Challenge, variant of air-launched Hsiung Feng III supersonic anti-ship missile, shifting to subsequent stage. 2 air-launched HF-3 variants, AX-001/004 take a look at articles, carried by F-CK-1 noticed right this moment (1) seem totally different from earlier than (2).
Supply: pic.twitter.com/yM2QQKjHU7
— Taiwan Army (@TaiwanMilitary) June 19, 2025
On Aug. 10, Liberty Instances stated that the NCIST carried out drop checks of the HF-3 take a look at articles on the Taichung coast within the west-central area in “mid-July”. The report went on so as to add that on Aug. 6, 2025, an F-CK-1A MLU, tail “1490”, carried out a take a look at drop of the HF-3 at Chihhang Air Base, within the southeastern Taitung area. It then claimed further simulated missile checks off Taichung will start on Aug. 15, lasting till the tip of the month.
That is what the report stated in regards to the subsequent testing levels post-August.
“Army officers identified right this moment that the intensive testing of the air-launched Hsiung Feng III anti-ship missile system signifies that the system is about to enter the take a look at missile stage from the simulation missile stage. After the take a look at is accomplished in mid-August, it ought to be capable of enter the fighter jet mounting take a look at missile stage within the second half of the yr, and also will have fight evaluations akin to launch from the launcher, launch simulation to lock on to sea targets, and assault goal ships with take a look at missiles and stay ammunition.”
It isn’t clear whether or not the bit about “jet mounting checks” may additionally imply that the trials consisted of land-launches or static hearth checks of the brand new missile’s air-breathing ramjet motor after designers dropped its boosters. Nevertheless, that is unlikely, provided that the context is solely about an air-launched HF-3 and the photographs from June and August revealed by Taiwanese accounts and Liberty Instances confirmed the IDF carried the missile’s take a look at articles.
🔴 Tayvan’ın Hsiung Feng-3 füzesi küçültülmüş versiyonu ilk kez görüntülendi.
▪️F-CK-1 savaş uçakları tarafından taşınan HF füzesinin hava versiyonu. pic.twitter.com/wxGCy5OQc5
— Kamil Görgülü (@kamilgorgulu1) February 22, 2025
Modification challenge
Taiwan Information reported in December 2023 that, whereas the IDF possesses the required flight speeds to succeed in the preliminary velocity required to fireplace an air-launched HF-3, NCIST needed to minimize the missile’s pre-modification 1,400 kg weight and drop its booster stage. “Two boosters initially outfitted on the Hsiung Feng III missiles have been eliminated, and the missile physique has been reasonably downsized and decreased in weight,” Taiwan Information stated. Experiences put the brand new missile’s weight between 900 and 1,000 kg, minus the 2 boosters.
In response to UDN, the essential model of the missile can attain a pace of Mach 3.5 and contact ranges between 150 km and 300 km. It has been usually hailed as a “service killer” owing to its excessive terminal stage pace that reduces the response time of the ship.
It isn’t recognized if any adjustments have been made to the warhead, seeker and steering sections. Nevertheless, some quantity of inner tweaking can’t be dominated out both, with up to date circuitry and electronics.
The IDF can carry a most payload of 4,000 kg. A lighter HF-3 would additionally alleviate structural stress on the IDF’s airframe, permitting it to hold different air-to-air missiles for swing-roles, CAPs (Fight Air Patrol), level protection of air bases, or integral protection to RoCAF’s Mirage 2000s and F-16V Block 70s.
It isn’t but recognized whether or not the NCIST would produce contemporary shares of air-launched HF-3s minus the boosters following the conclusion of its take a look at marketing campaign, or take current models from its present stockpile. The latter is nevertheless unlikely, given the massive armory wanted to fend off a Chinese language invasion, which might function a large air and naval blockade.
Digital warfare pods for the IDF
Pictures of a RoCAF C-130H carrying two Digital Warfare (EW) pods additionally appeared on Aug. 13. These pods, meant for the IDF, are at present in flight testing earlier than operational fielding below the “Xuan Ji Challenge,” in keeping with the Formosa Aviation and Army Picture Press.
Aiming to present the IDF a sorely missing devoted EW functionality, the domestically produced pods have been examined on the C-130H “at excessive altitudes and below numerous flight situations,” earlier than its “subsequent set up on fight plane.” The report added that the pods supply “radar sign detection, digital jamming, and menace warning capabilities,” to guard the plane from radar and missile locks.
The C-130H transport plane’s spacious cabin has a devoted operator station within the rear, recording actual time flight information at various altitudes and speeds to evaluate the {hardware} and software program efficiency in complicated electromagnetic environments.
🇹🇼”Challenge Xuan Ji” digital warfare pod efficiently accomplished flight checks on a C-130H.The “Xuan Ji Challenge” is a significant R&D initiative to boost the protecting capabilities of the 🇹🇼 F-CK-1 Indigenous Protection Fighters.😎🙏 pic.twitter.com/f5ua1oJLB3
— Taiwan Army (@TaiwanMilitary) August 13, 2025
The challenge confronted challenges owing to lack of entry to very important parts and applied sciences within the electromagnetic spectrum, due to which Taipei determined to do it alone with an homegrown system. UDN reported that the protection ministry, since 2020, allotted round $135 million in analysis funding to NCIST for Challenge Xuan Ji.
