Sky Bow IV

Tien Kung IV, or Sky Bow IV, is a air defense system currently being designed and trialed by the NCSIST. Development codename is Strong Bow. It is pictured as a Taiwanese version of the American THAAD system. Its canister is 7.61 meters long, longer than the 5.49 meter of the Sky Bow III system currently in service. Its ceiling and range are also both greater than the ones of Sky Bow and MIM-104 Patriot.^[1][2][3]

Sky Bow IV / Tien Kung IV
Type	Air Defense Anti-ballistic missile
Place of origin	Republic of China
Production history
Designer	NCSIST
Specifications
Engine	Solid-propellant rocket
Flight ceiling	70-100km
Launch platform	TEL

Sky Bow IV/Strong Bow I

In 2023 development work on a new BMD missile, dubbed Strong Bow, with a maximum interception altitude of 70km was completed. While often reported as an extended range variant of the TK-3, the Strong Bow is a distinct missile. Differences from the TK-3 include the fuselage, nosecone, and propulsion system. It also has a domestically produced microwave power amplifier and a K_a band seeker.^[4][5]

The Strong Bow I was made public at the 2023 Taipei Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition but was not displayed.^[6]

Strong Bow II

A longer ranged derivative of the Strong Bow I with an intercept altitude of 100km or more is in development.^[5] Two variants exist, IIA which is an anti-ballistic missile and IIB which is a surface-to-surface ballistic missile with a range of 1,000 km.^[7]

See also

• Sky Spear
• Terminal High Altitude Area Defense
• Anti-aircraft warfare
• Comparison of anti-ballistic missile systems
• Anti-ballistic missile