ISLAMABAD/Washington: The United States has approved a possible sale of Volcano anti-tank mine-laying system to Taiwan for an estimated $180 million, the Pentagon said on Wednesday.
According to Reuters, Northrop Grumman and Oshkosh Corporation have the prime contracts for the potential sale.
USA Executive Branch
The US law requires an executive branch to notify Congress of potential weapons sales over a certain amount. But these notifications have usually not been made unless lawmakers have given the State Department and Pentagon informal approval to move ahead.
The defence ministry of Taiwan said that the sale would take effect in about a month and that the system should help boost the island’s “asymmetric warfare” capacity to make its armed forces more agile.
The United States is Taiwan’s strongest international backer and main source of weapons.
China lays claim to self-governed Taiwan as its own territory and vows to take the island back.
