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Sky Sword I

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the medium-range missile, see Sky Sword II.
Sky Sword I
TypeGuided missile
Place of originTaiwan
Service history
In service1980s to present
Used byRepublic of China Air Force and Republic of China Army
Production history
DesignedEarly 1980s
ManufacturerNational Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology
VariantsAntelope air defence system and Sea Oryx
References
TC-1 Sky Sword I (air-to-air)
ROCAF F-CK-1A at Ching Chuan Kang Air Base with a TC-1 on the wingtip

The Sky Sword I, Tien Chien I, or TC-1 (Chinese: 天劍一; pinyin: Tiān Jiàn Yī; Wade–Giles: Tʻien1 Chien4 I1) is a short range infrared guided air-to-air missile. The missile has fire and forget slave-by-radar capabilities. It consists of an imaging infrared seeker, a high explosive warhead, a solid propellant motor and a guidance control unit.[1] The seeker uses dual spectral IR and has a detection range of 18.5km.[2] The Sky Sword 1 is also used as a surface-to-air missile by the Antelope air defence system.[3][4]

Development

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The Sky Sword 1 was developed in the mid-1980s and revealed in May 1986, as Taiwan's first indigenous air-to-air missile.[5] The production of the missile started in 1991 and the air-to-air version entered ROCAF service in 1993. It bears a striking similarity to the American AIM-9 (also in Taiwanese service) and fulfills a similar role on the Indigenous Defense Fighter to the AIM-9 on the F-16. In 2017 NCSIST exhibited a variant of the TC-1 with a larger diameter motor.[6]

Service history

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TC-1 missiles were employed during a 2019 training exercise off Taiwan’s east coast.[7]

Variants

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TC-1L

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Antelope air defense system

The TC-1L is a ground-launched variant for use with the Antelope air defence system.[8]

Sea TC-1

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Developed for use with the Sea Oryx system, the Sea TC-1 variant has an improved seeker, data-link, and rocket motor.[9]

See also

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Similar weapons

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References

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  1. ^ "NCSIST". www.ncsist.org.tw. Retrieved 2017-02-12.
  2. ^ "IR Seeker (Sky Sword I)". cmano-db.com. CMANO. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
  3. ^ "The Antelope – Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance".
  4. ^ "Antelope Tien Chien 1 TC-1 surface-to-air defense missile system technical data sheet specifications | Taiwan Taiwanese missile vehicle system UK | Taiwan Taiwanese army military equipment vehicle U".
  5. ^ Jane's Weapon Systems. F. Watts. 1987.
  6. ^ Cheng Jiawen, Hong Zhe Zhengyi. "國造海劍羚艦對空飛彈 預計111年服役". udn.com. UDN. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
  7. ^ Evelyn Kao, Matt Yu and. "Taiwan holds live-fire drill along east coast". focustaiwan.tw. Focus Taiwan. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
  8. ^ "Antelope Air Defense System". www.ncsist.org.tw. National Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
  9. ^ Minnick, Wendell (12 August 2015). "Taiwan Defense Show Exhibits New Weapons". www.defensenews.com. Defense News. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
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