Taiwan’s most capable missile launchers are being deployed across the island for a five-day defense drill designed to enhance joint operations and develop concepts for targeting enemy aircraft and vessels, US Naval Institute News reports.
Newly procured American M142 High Mobility Rocket Artillery Systems (HIMARS) and domestically-produced Hsiung Feng anti-ship missile launchers will be used this week in simulated scenarios that involve detecting enemy maritime incursions into territorial waters, according to a Military News Agency release and media released by the Ministry of National Defense.
Numerous Republic of China Army, Marine Corps and Navy units are expected to participate in the joint drills, which began Monday and will end Friday, according to the media released by the MND. These drills will focus on verifying joint operations between Taipei’s ground, air and sea branches in executing reconnaissance and strike operations under decentralized conditions via distributed command structures, according to the Military News Agency news release.
Taiwan has invested heavily into these long-range strike systems in recent years to expand its ability to hold ground and naval forces under threat, a capability that can prove crucial in a potential invasion by China.
Combined, past and ongoing orders for HIMARS will rank Taiwanese ground forces as the second-largest operator of the Lockheed Martin missile system in the world. Local media previously reported Taiwan’s interest in procuring munitions that will expand HIMARS’ strike range and capabilities against maritime targets. Taipei also plans to station the launchers on islands near the Chinese coast to hold targets under threat.
At home, Taiwanese lawmakers have funded several tranches in recent years to expand their stocks of domestically-made anti-ship missiles, air defense systems and one-way attack drones. Many of these capabilities are a part of the Republic of China Navy’s Littoral Combat Command. Stood-up earlier this month, the formation combines Marine Corps small boats and attack drone teams with the Navy’s fast attack craft and coastal missile defense batteries. Their area of responsibility encompasses waters 24 nautical miles within Taiwan’s coastline.
The MND has said that the experiences from the joint defense drill will be used to refine parameters for next month’s Han Kuang Exercise, an annual island-wide defense activity that has become the premier anti-invasion drill. Operational plans from military leadership will be verified through this week’s exercise, according to the ministry.
Since its inception in the 1980s, the Han Kuang exercise has evolved to include more focused activities to hone Taiwanese forces and security agencies to protect against a Chinese attempt to seize the island. Iterations in recent years saw longer training times, enhanced wargaming simulations and civil defense drills.
