Sky Sword II

The TC-2 Sky Sword II (天劍二, Tien Chien II) is a radar guided air-to-air missile developed by the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology (CSIST) in Taiwan Republic of China (ROC) during the 1990s for the ROC Air Force. The TC-2 is intended as the mid-range supplement of the IR guided Sky Sword I (TC-1), and both are currently deployed on the ROCAF's F-CK-1 fighters.

The TC-2's seeker head is based on Motorola-Raytheon design, initially a competitor to the AIM-120 contract, which was later won by Hughes. CSIST is reported to have purchased 200 TC-2 seeker head "kits" from Raytheon. This led to speculation that the ROCAF would have no more than 200 TC-2's in its inventory.

On March 17, 2004, Jane's Defense Weekly reported that CSIST had produced an air-launched anti-radiation (ARM) missile, named Tien Chien IIA (TC-2A). The TC-2A is reported to have a new seeker head and guidance package, possibly with dual-mode passive RF and IR sensors, and an improved extended-range rocket motor. The updated missile, with its new seeker head, indicates that CSIST's TC-2/TC-2A production is not limited to the original Raytheon order.

General characteristics (TC-2)

* Primary Function: Air-to-air missile
* Power Plant: Solid propellant
* Length: 3.60 m
* Weight: 190 kg
* Diameter: 203 mm
* Warhead: 30 kg Blast/fragmentation
* Guidance: midrange inertial guidance, terminal radar guidance
* Range: 60 km
* Date Deployed: 1999

External references

* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/taiwan/sky-sword-2.htm TC-2 info on Global Security]