Taiwan's Kestrel II Rocket Evolves with Indoor Launch Capability, Overcoming Blast Pressure Challenges

(CNA, New Taipei, 19th) Anti-armor rockets are a crucial asset for infantry against enemy armored units. However, due to the high pressure and temperature generated upon firing, few rockets can be launched indoors. Engineers at the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology's (NCSIST) System Manufacturing Center have broken through these physical limitations to develop an indoor-firing Kestrel II anti-armor rocket, enhancing a soldier's operational flexibility in urban asymmetric warfare environments. The NCSIST System Manufacturing Center, formerly the 44th Arsenal of the Combined Logistics Command located in Taipei's Xinyi District, was relocated to Sanxia, New Taipei City, due to urban planning and later reorganized under NCSIST. The missiles developed by NCSIST are produced here, and they are also returned to the center for regular maintenance after delivery to the military, making it the 'home' of domestically-produced missiles. Regarding the challenges of indoor rocket firing, Huang Chih-ching, a chief engineer at the center, explained that indoor firing creates a significant backblast effect, resulting in blast temperature, pressure, and noise that can easily harm the operator. Therefore, developing an indoor-launch rocket requires adding a 'suppression mechanism' to the launcher to counteract the shockwave and minimize hazardous factors. Huang stated that engineers collected various data, referenced relevant patents, and conducted simulation analyses and verifications, including aerodynamics and structural analysis. As the rocket needed to be lightweight, the Kestrel II's warhead is made of aluminum alloy and composite materials, unlike the all-aluminum bodies of the original Kestrel and the Type 66 rockets. NCSIST indicated that the indoor version of the Kestrel II anti-armor rocket features a shock suppression module added to the rear of the outdoor model to reduce backblast flame, shock temperature, and pressure. The configuration design has been completed and verified with live-fire tests. The outdoor version of the Kestrel II has completed developmental testing (DT), and the indoor version is expected to complete its DT in the second half of this year. According to NCSIST data, the caliber, weight, and expected armor penetration depth of the indoor and outdoor versions of the Kestrel II rocket are identical. However, due to the added suppression mechanism, the launcher's weight increases from 3.9 kg to 6.5 kg, the total weight from 7.4 kg to 10 kg, and the overall length from 116 cm to 145 cm. Regarding the challenges in developing the Kestrel II, Huang mentioned that significant time was spent on structural adjustments and analysis to increase armor penetration from the original Kestrel's 30 cm to over 50 cm while also achieving lightweight design. The most difficult part was the suppression mechanism, which, with few international references, was developed through gradual research to achieve its current state. For the future development of the Kestrel II, NCSIST will complete Initial Operational Test and Evaluation (IOT&E) to meet the needs of the Army for the indoor version and the Marine Corps for the outdoor version, satisfying the military's requirements for mass production and operational use of the new-generation anti-armor rocket. (Editor: Lin Ker-lun) 1150519