Taiwan National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology
Sky Bow III
Taiwan's indigenous long-range surface-to-air missile system, developed by NCSIST for national air and missile defense against Chinese aircraft and ballistic threats. It uses an active radar seeker and phased-array fire-control radar comparable to the Patriot PAC-3.
In service since 2015 · 1 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
200
km range
45,000
m altitude
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
National export licensing
Subject to Taiwan export-control approval; verify eligibility with the manufacturer.
Channel: Direct commercial / G2G
Fielded & proven
Limited · 1 operator
In service since 2015. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters. | 7 Mach |
|---|---|
| Engagement range Maximum distance at which an air-defense system can intercept targets. Higher covers more airspace. | 200 km |
| Engagement altitude Maximum target altitude the system can reach. | 45,000 m |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type. | Vertical-launch surface-to-air missile battery |
|---|---|
| Guidance How the weapon finds its target: inertial, GPS/GLONASS, active/semi-active radar, infrared, laser, TV, wire. | Active radar homing, Command guidance mid-course |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 5.5 m |
|---|---|
| Width Overall width, matters for rail/road transport of vehicles. | 0.4 m |
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 870 kg |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Solid-fuel rocket |
|---|
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
| Radar Primary radar. AESA (active electronically scanned array) is the current state of the art. | Chang Bai phased-array fire-control radar |
|---|
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 1 |
|---|
Specifications compiled from public National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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What is the engagement range of the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology Sky Bow III? +
The National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology Sky Bow III has a maximum engagement range of 200 km.
How much does the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology Sky Bow III weigh? +
The National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology Sky Bow III has a combat weight of 870 kg.
What is the main armament of the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology Sky Bow III? +
The National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology Sky Bow III's primary weapon is the Vertical-launch surface-to-air missile battery.
What is the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology Sky Bow III used for? +
The National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology Sky Bow III is a air defense system typically used for air defense.
How many countries operate the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology Sky Bow III? +
The National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology Sky Bow III is operated by 1 countries.
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