September 27, 2006:
After years of debate, development and testing, Taiwan is building an ATBM (Anti-Tactical Ballistic Missile), using Taiwanese made Tien Kung (Sky Bow) surface-to-air missiles, and U.S. made Patriot missiles. This would provide some protection against the 600 or more Chinese ballistic missiles aimed at Taiwan. The ATBM system would have sixty or more launchers, most of them Tien Kung, the rest Patriot. Taiwan has been working on this system for over a decade. Such a system would not be able to stop all the Chinese missiles, but would be able to protect more valuable targets, especially airbases.