A long-range early-warning radar in Taiwan tracked China’s recent ballistic missile launch. Named AN/FPS-115 Pave Paws, the radar tracked the missile shortly after it was fired from a nuclear-powered submarine in the South China Sea. The radar, located at Leshan Radar Station in Hsinchu County, monitored the missile during the initial phase of its flight while it remained within the system’s coverage, according to online media outlets. The detection, combined with intelligence sharing with the US, provided Taipei with critical information about the launch, highlighting the radar’s strategic early-warning capabilities. Early warning radar Taiwan’s long-range AN/FPS-115 Pave Paws early-warning radar tracked China’s recent ballistic missile launch shortly after it was fired from a nuclear-powered submarine in the South China Sea, providing Taipei with critical data on the missile’s trajectory, according to a senior Taiwanese official. The official, quoted by Taiwan’s Liberty Times , said the US-made radar detected the missile soon after launch and monitored it during the initial phase of its flight while it remained within the system’s coverage. Taiwan also shared the tracking data with the United States, which continued monitoring the missile using satellites and long-range early-warning radars after it moved beyond the radar’s range, reports the South China Morning Post (SCMP). The launch was part of a Chinese ballistic missile test announced earlier this week. Beijing has described the test as a routine military exercise but has not disclosed the type of missile used or its exact flight path. Taiwan’s National Security Council Secretary General Joseph Wu later shared a map on social media showing what he said was the missile’s trajectory. According to the map, the missile was launched from waters near China’s southern coast, flew over the northern Philippines, and landed in international waters between Nauru and Tonga. Wu identified the missile as a JL-2 submarine-launched ballistic missile, although Chinese authorities have not confirmed that assessment. Military analysts have debated whether the test involved the JL-2 or the newer, longer-range JL-3 submarine-launched ballistic missile, reports SCMP . Taiwan’s missile 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 and operational since 2013, the system is a key element of Taiwan’s missile early-warning network. The radar uses a fixed active phased-array antenna to continuously scan large areas without mechanical rotation, enabling rapid detection and tracking of multiple targets simultaneously. Taiwan’s upgraded version can also detect low-altitude cruise missiles, tactical ballistic missiles, aircraft, and other airborne threats. Positioned at an elevation of about 2,600 meters, the radar can reportedly detect ballistic missile launches at distances of up to 3,106 miles (5,000 kilometers). 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 improve its ability to detect low-altitude cruise missiles and tactical ballistic missiles, reports the Economic Times . Taiwanese officials have previously said the radar has monitored People’s Liberation Army missile launches into waters east of Taiwan, underscoring its role in tracking regional military activity. The incident also highlighted intelligence cooperation between Taiwan and the US. According to the Taiwanese official, Taipei provided initial tracking information before US satellite and radar assets took over monitoring during the missile’s later flight, reports SCMP.