Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense is seeking a new supersonic combustion ramjet technology that could be used for its hypersonic weapons.
A solicitation notice was recently issued to Taiwanese universities for potential scramjet solutions that feature heat-resistant materials.
The tech must also boast improved ignition and flame retention to achieve maximum propulsion efficiency.
The initiative, part of the recently announced National Defense Advanced Technology Research Program, will run over three years starting in 2025.
It will be overseen by the state-owned National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology.
Part of New Long-Range Missile Program?
A scramjet is an advanced jet engine technology that maximizes external air for combustion to enable speeds beyond Mach 5.
Unlike conventional jet engines, scramjets have no moving parts, as they do not use rotating, fan-like components to compress the air.
They are used for long-range hypersonic missiles and aircraft, such as the experimental X-51A WaveRider manufactured by Boeing.
Taiwan’s move to develop its own scramjet tech could reportedly be a sign that it is planning to obtain more long-range systems capable of deterring China.
The island nation only has the Hsiung Feng IIE land-attack cruise missile, which is said to be capable of hitting targets up to 1,200 kilometers (745 miles) away.