By BlueShift | 2026-01-07

Faced with increasing threats from China, Taiwan's government in October pledged $40 billion in additional defense spending over eight years, with the focus on developing a multi-layered air defense system dubbed "T-Dome."

Designed to protect the democratic island against a potential attack by Chinese fighter jets, missiles or drones, T-Dome will employ space-based assets as part of a sensor-to-shooter system.

China claims Taiwan is part of its territory and has threatened to use force to annex it. It recently concluded a massive military exercise -- the sixth major drill since 2022 -- launching missiles and deploying dozens of fighter jets, navy ships and coastguard vessels to encircle Taiwan.

Taipei condemned the exercises, which simulated a blockade of the self-ruled island's main ports, as "highly provocative."

In a New Year's speech, Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te vowed to defend the island's sovereignty. He has promised to speed the T-Dome's construction to create a "safety net" for Taiwan and counter China's "intensifying" threat to the island and region.

Integrated air defense system

The T-Dome program includes funding for two Chiang Kung (Strong Bow) anti-ballistic missile systems with 128 missiles, according to the Taipei Times.

It includes funds for a Patriot Advanced Capabilities-3 (PAC-3) battalion, an additional order of 230 Tien Kung III missiles and National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems, in addition to Stinger missile systems.

It also includes the acquisition of Integrated Battle Command Systems (ICBS) to serve as the network’s command and control nodes.

These advanced command and control networks incorporate data from sensors such as radar and satellites to enable unified, real-time battlefield observation and response to threats across land, air, sea, space and cyberspace.

Lai announced the T-Dome project on October 10.

Taiwan already has air defense systems, including the US-built Patriot and domestically-made Sky Bow systems. T-Dome will integrate these with radars, sensors and other advanced technology to provide what Lai describes as "high-level detection and effective interception."

"If you do not integrate these detection devices, then those air-defense missiles, whether for counter-fire, counter-attack or counter-drone purposes, can't achieve efficient interception or effective fire coordination and allocation," Defence Minister Wellington Koo has said.

Safeguarding democratic Taiwan

T-Dome will have two major components, said military expert Su Tzu-yun, of Taipei's Institute for National Defense and Security Research.

It will have a command and control system that "collects radar data, identifies threats, decides which interceptor should fire, and coordinates all units so they react within seconds," Su told AFP.

The other part will be the "interceptor layer" -- the weapons used to "shoot down incoming threats" at different altitudes.

Having the ability to "neutralize" a sudden Chinese missile strike would help deter Beijing from attacking, Su said.

Su said Chinese warships routinely deployed near Taiwan are capable of firing hundreds of missiles at Taiwan's airports, radar sites and military bases "within three minutes."

That does not include the hundreds of missiles China has on land.

"This is why Taiwan needs an integrated air defense system capable of responding to these emerging challenges," Su said.

Lai has said Taiwan's military aims to have a "high level" of joint combat readiness by 2027, and that "highly resilient and comprehensive deterrent defense capabilities" will be in place by 2033.

"The ultimate goal is to establish defense capabilities that can permanently safeguard democratic Taiwan," Lai said at an October news conference.