TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense (MND) said on Thursday (Oct. 31) that the delivery of 18 additional High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) is on schedule.
Taiwan originally planned to buy 11 HIMARS from the US but later purchased 18 more instead of ordering M109A6 “Paladin” self-propelled howitzers. The Army also increased its order for Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) from 64 to 84. It also requested 864 precision rockets that can be fired by HIMARS.
The MND said the procurement for 29 HIMARS cost NT$32.52 billion (US$1.01 billion), Liberty Times reported. The first 11 sets are expected to be delivered by 2025, while the 18 additional systems will arrive in 2026.
The Army pointed out that to buy time for troops rushing to reinforce outlying islands in the event of an invasion, using long-range weaponry to counter enemy troops attempting to conduct amphibious assaults is the best solution.
HIMARS can be outfitted with a single six-pack of rockets or one ATACMS missile. It can be transported by a C-130 transport plane and can be deployed into areas previously inaccessible to heavier mobile launchers, according to Military.com.
Taiwan is also set to receive all of its 1,700 TOW 2B anti-tank missiles by the end of the year. The first batch of missiles recently passed their mandatory US Army tests.