US-Made Pave Paws Radar Helps Taiwan Track Chinese Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile

Taiwan's long-range AN/FPS-115 Pave Paws early warning radar recently tracked a ballistic missile launched from a Chinese nuclear-powered submarine in the South China Sea, providing Taipei with critical data on the missile's flight trajectory.

How the Early Warning Radar Detected the Launch

According to a senior Taiwanese official speaking to the Liberty Times, the US-built radar detected the missile immediately after launch and continued monitoring it during the initial phase of flight while it remained within radar coverage. Taiwan subsequently shared the tracking data with the United States, which then assumed responsibility for continued surveillance of the missile's later flight stages using satellites and long-range early warning radar assets, as reported by the South China Morning Post (SCMP).

The launch was part of a ballistic missile test announced by China earlier this week. Beijing characterized the test as a routine military exercise but did not publicly disclose the missile type used or its precise flight path.

Taiwan's National Security Council Secretary-General Wellington Koo later shared a map on social media showing what he described as the missile's flight trajectory. According to the map, the missile was launched from waters south of China, flew over the northern Philippines, and landed in international waters between Nauru and Tonga. Koo assessed the missile as likely a JL-2 submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), though Chinese authorities have yet to confirm this. Several military analysts remain divided over whether the test involved the JL-2 or the newer, longer-range JL-3 SLBM, as the SCMP also reported.

Taiwan's Missile Defense Shield

The AN/FPS-115 Pave Paws radar is located at Leshan Radar Station in Hsinchu County in northern Taiwan. Developed by US defense contractor Raytheon, the system has been operational since 2013 and serves as a cornerstone of Taiwan's missile early warning network. The radar uses a fixed active phased-array antenna that continuously scans a wide area of airspace without mechanical rotation, enabling rapid detection and simultaneous tracking of multiple targets. Taiwan's upgraded version also has the capability to detect low-altitude cruise missiles, tactical ballistic missiles, various aircraft, and other airborne threats.

Leshan Radar Station sits at an elevation of approximately 2,600 meters and is reportedly capable of detecting ballistic missile launches at ranges of up to 5,000 kilometers (approximately 3,106 miles). Its coverage extends across mainland China, the South China Sea, and the Korean Peninsula. Taiwan's version of the system has also been upgraded to enhance its ability to detect low-altitude cruise missiles and tactical ballistic missiles, as reported by the Economic Times.

Taiwanese officials have previously stated that the radar has on multiple occasions detected People's Liberation Army missile launches into waters east of Taiwan, highlighting its importance in monitoring regional military activities. This latest incident further demonstrates the Taiwan-US intelligence-sharing framework — with Taiwan providing initial tracking data and US satellite and radar assets taking over to monitor the missile's terminal flight phase, as reported by the SCMP.

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