Taiwan's military conducted a live-fire exercise on Wednesday, firing rockets in the direction of China from U.S.-supplied High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS). The drill simulated a response to a potential Chinese invasion and tested rapid deployment and precision-strike capabilities.
The rockets were fired into the waters of the Taiwan Strait, the body of water separating the self-governing island from mainland China, a move described by an army sergeant as a demonstration of "unwavering determination to protect Taiwan as the nation's strongest force" given the current threat.
The HIMARS system, mounted on trucks, is designed for "shoot-and-scoot" tactics, allowing it to fire missiles from a concealed position and then quickly relocate to a new hiding spot. The military stated that reduced-range practice rockets were used, which do not travel far before falling into the water. The drill also included the use of 155 mm howitzers.
This exercise comes amid heightened tensions in the region, with China viewing Taiwan as a breakaway province and frequently sending warships and aircraft near the island. The United States, while not officially recognizing Taiwan as a country, opposes any forceful change to its status and is a primary supplier of Taiwan's defensive weaponry.
The U.S. strategy for Taiwan has been shifting towards an asymmetric approach, utilizing systems like HIMARS to deter a potential invasion rather than attempting to match China's military power directly. The U.S. had announced plans in December to sell 82 additional HIMARS systems to Taiwan, though this package has reportedly been placed on hold.