A Taiwanese military transport vehicle carrying equipment for the US-supplied Patriot air defense system crashed on Thursday in southern Taiwan, according to TVBS World.
The truck reportedly toppled over while traveling along a road in Pingtung County, leaving at least two people injured.
Authorities quickly launched a rescue and recovery mission to secure personnel and recover critical equipment.
An investigation is also underway to determine the cause of the crash.
As of now, there are no official reports on the condition of the undisclosed Patriot missile equipment onboard the truck.
It is also unclear whether the incident will impact an ongoing air defense drill in Taiwan, in which the Patriot system is likely to play a role.
Taiwan’s Patriot Missiles
The Patriot, or Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept on Target, is a long-range air defense system designed to intercept ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as advanced aircraft.
Developed by Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, the system uses a track-via-missile guidance mechanism to determine the optimal interception path for a target.
The Patriot system has a range exceeding 70 kilometers (43.5 miles) and can reach speeds over Mach 2.
Taiwan received its first Patriot missile in 1997 and has since announced plans to procure additional systems amid increasing tensions with China.
In August 2023, a Taiwanese Air Force official claimed that a more advanced Patriot PAC-3 missile malfunctioned during a live-fire drill, saying it exploded before reaching its target.
However, Lockheed Martin later clarified that the missile involved was not a PAC-3 model.