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Washington, March 7 (CNA) The US Department of Defense announced on Tuesday the possible sale to Taiwan of 162 HAWK Intercept Aerial guided missiles and peripheral equipment at an estimated cost of US$106 million.

The announcement of the possible sale comes at a time when the Clinton administration is locked in heated debate over whether the US should sell guided-missile carrying frigates equipped with the Aegis battle system to Taiwan.

Taiwan has lobbied hard for the US to sell it the Aegis system, which can track hundreds of targets at once, to help upgrade its naval defense capabilities.

According to a news report Tuesday by Defense LINK, a Pentagon publication, the Department of Defense might sell 163 HAWK Intercept Aerial guided missiles to Taiwan, together with containers, modification kits, support equipment, testing equipment, spare parts, technical data, personnel training, and equipment.

The report added that US government and contractor engineering services, along with logistics personnel services and other related elements of support, will also be included in the package.

Under the Missile Reliability Restoration program, Taiwan's operational inventory of HAWK missiles will also be modified to HAWK Intercept Aerial guided missile specifications, according to the news release.

The sale of this equipment and support, by the prime contractor Raytheon Co. of Andover, Mass., will not affect the basic military balance in the region, said the report. There have been no offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale, it added.

Meanwhile, the Department of Defense also announced another possible sale to Taiwan -- equipment to upgrade its aging anti-aircraft radar system -- at a cost of US$96 million.

Northrop Grumman Corp. would carry out the proposed upgrade by converting Taiwan's aging TPS-43F air surveillance radar to the TPS-75V configuration, said the news release.

The Department of Defense said unless Congress vetoes such transfers, the proposed sales are expected to take effect one month after formal notification. (By Jay Chen and Deborah Kuo)