Missile Tien Chien I
Summary
| Category | Air-to-Air Missiles |
| Sub-type | Infrared-guided air-to-air missile |
| Origin country | 🇹🇼 Taiwan |
| Manufacturer | Chungshan Institute of Technology |
| Status | In service |
| Year of service | 1993 |
Technical specifications
| Warhead | High Explosive / Fragmentation |
| Diameter | 127 mm (5.0 in) |
| Length | 2,870 mm (113.0 in) |
| Weight | 90 kg (198 lb) |
| Range | 18 km (11 mi) |
| Max. speed | 3,087 km/h (Mach 3.1) |
Tien Chien I scale diagram
Operators
Description
The Tien Chien I, also designated Sky Sword I or TC-1, was developed in the mid-1980s as Taiwan's first indigenous air-to-air missile. The system was first revealed in May 1986. Production commenced in 1991, and the air-to-air configuration entered service in 1993.
The missile is a short-range, infrared-guided weapon utilizing fire-and-forget slave-by-radar capabilities. It consists of an imaging infrared seeker, a high-explosive warhead, a solid propellant motor, and a guidance control unit. The seeker employs dual spectral infrared technology. Several variants exist, including the TC-1L for the Antelope air defense system and the Sea TC-1 for the Sea Oryx system. The Sea TC-1 variant incorporates an updated seeker, a data-link, and a modified rocket motor. A version featuring a larger diameter motor was displayed in 2017.
The system is operated by the Republic of China Air Force and the Republic of China Army. In its primary air-to-air role, it is deployed on the F-CK-1A Indigenous Defense Fighter, where it performs a role similar to the AIM-9 Sidewinder. The ground-based Antelope system utilizes the missile for surface-to-air defense. Operational employment includes live-fire use during a 2019 training exercise off the eastern coast of Taiwan.