TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan will produce 232 additional Hsiung Feng missile systems to strengthen its anti-ship capabilities by next year.

The military will build Hsiung Feng II, Hsiung Feng III, and extended-range Hsiung Feng III variants at a cost of NT$16.1 billion (US$536.32 million), Liberty Times reported. The missiles will feature upgraded chip technology to improve lethality.

The Hsiung Feng II has a range of 148 kilometers, with an advanced version capable of reaching 160–200 km. In terms of electronic countermeasures, it is considered on par with Western-made anti-ship missiles.

The Hsiung Feng III has a range of 150–250 km, with the first batch reaching full combat readiness in 2014.

Meanwhile, the National Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology is conducting tests of an air-launched version of the Hsiung Feng III.