The US State Department has approved the possible sale of the Advanced Tactical Data Link System Upgrade Planning and related equipment to Taiwan.
The estimated $75-million sale includes cross domain solutions, high assurance devices, GPS receivers, and communications equipment.
“The proposed sale will improve the recipient’s ability to meet current and future threats by enhancing communications and network security, and providing infrastructure to allow the secure flow of tactical information,” the Defense Security Cooperation Agency stated.
The principal contractor will be decided through a competitive process.
NATO Link-22 Upgrade
Washington last year decided to upgrade Taiwan’s Link 16 data link system to NATO’s Link-22, offering greater range and a direct connection to the US military.
Link-22 is a secure beyond-line-of-sight communications capability that interconnects “air, surface, subsurface, and ground-based tactical data systems,” Focus Taiwan wrote, citing head of Department of Strategic Planning Lee Shih-Chiang.
Chinese Sanctions US Firms
It comes as China sanctioned five US defense contractors last month in response to their arms sales to Taiwan, freezing their properties based in China.
The firms are BAE Systems Land and Armaments, AeroVironment, Viasat, Alliant Techsystems Operation, and Data Link Solutions.
