Taiwan's Military Flexes Muscle: First Live-Fire HIMARS Exercise Amidst Rising China Tensions

Taiwan bolsters defense capabilities with US-supplied HIMARS, signaling readiness against potential threats from China.

In a significant display of military readiness, the Taiwanese armed forces conducted their first live-fire exercise using the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) recently acquired from the United States. This crucial step underlines Taiwan's commitment to fortifying its defense capabilities in the face of increasing military pressure from China.

The United States, despite the absence of formal diplomatic relations, remains Taiwan's primary arms supplier. The HIMARS systems, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, represent a substantial upgrade to Taiwan's arsenal. The nation has procured 29 of these systems, with the first batch of 11 units delivered last year and the remainder expected by the following year.

These truck-mounted launchers are capable of firing multiple precision-guided rockets and have gained prominence for their effectiveness, particularly in the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. With a range of approximately 300km, the HIMARS can strike targets along the coast of China’s Fujian Province, directly across the Taiwan Strait, should a conflict arise.

The live-fire test took place at the Jiupeng base in Pingtung County. During the exercise, Colonel Ho Chih-chung (何至中) reported that US technical personnel were present, providing assistance with a “signal error” that initially prevented simultaneous firing from three launchers. "We believe this exercise provides an opportunity to enhance our troubleshooting capabilities, allowing us to better demonstrate realistic combat readiness in the event of war,” Ho said.

Cheng Chi-wen (鄭繼文), editor-in-chief of the Chinese-language Asia-Pacific Defense magazine and a military expert who observed the drill, emphasized the international prestige HIMARS has gained due to its performance in the Russia-Ukraine war. He also highlighted that the system’s overall performance surpasses the locally produced Thunderbolt-2000 multiple launch rocket system, due to its GPS-aided navigation system offering superior precision.

Cheng Chi-wen (鄭繼文) further suggested that the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology consider standardizing ammunition with the Thunderbolt-2000. Integrating HIMARS' GPS-aided navigation technology with locally-made weapon fire control systems could create a more robust asymmetric warfare strategy, facilitating effective information sharing between both systems.

The exercise followed a day after Taiwan reported a "joint combat readiness patrol" by China's military near the island, involving both warplanes and warships. This highlights the ongoing tensions in the region and underscores the strategic importance of Taiwan's defense posture.