Taiwan has begun deploying advanced US-supplied High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) during its annual Han Kuang exercise, a 10-day live-fire drill aimed at enhancing defenses against potential Chinese aggression.
On Saturday, two armored trucks carrying HIMARS were spotted in Taichung, near Taiwan’s central coast, as part of the exercise’s fourth day.
These drills, designed to simulate real combat scenarios including enemy attacks and invasions, reflect Taiwan’s focus on strengthening its military readiness.
Last year, Taiwan received the first 11 of 29 HIMARS units, with initial tests conducted in May, capable of striking targets 300km away in China’s Fujian province.
Colonel Chen Lian-jia highlighted the need to hide HIMARS from enemy reconnaissance, including satellites and covert operatives, until deployment.
China, which claims Taiwan as its territory, has labeled the Han Kuang drills as “a bluffing and self-deceiving trick” while intensifying its own military activities around the island.
Over the past five years, Beijing has escalated pressure through frequent naval and air patrols and large-scale war games near Taiwan.
The US, Taiwan’s primary arms supplier, remains legally bound to consider threats to Taiwan a major concern, though its response under the current administration is uncertain.
The Pentagon, via Under-Secretary Elbridge Colby, has urged allies like Japan and Australia to clarify their roles in a potential US-China conflict over Taiwan, surprising both nations.
Taiwan’s unscripted drills aim to demonstrate its determination to defend itself and signal resilience to China and the international community.
President William Lai Ching-te emphasized that the exercises are based on “large-scale, realistic combat scenarios” to boost preparedness.
The integration of HIMARS underscores Taiwan’s strategic efforts to deter aggression amid complex geopolitical dynamics in the region.