The US State Department has greenlit a potential deal that would see the US providing Taiwan with equipment and relevant training to support its Patriot air defense systems, the Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency told the media on Wednesday.
According to the Pentagon, the total value of the deal might amount to up to $95 million. “This proposed sale serves US national, economic, and security interests by supporting the recipient’s continuing efforts to modernize its armed forces and to maintain a credible defensive capability,” the Pentagon said in a notification to the US Congress.
The deal would also help Taiwan “sustain its missile density and ensure readiness for air operations,” as well as to successfully deter “regional threats,” the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said. Taiwan’s Defense Ministry has said it expects the deal to “become effective” within a month.