TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense said Thursday it is seeking urgent legislative approval to release funds for an NT$800 million (US$25.37 million) first payment on its M142 HIMARS purchase before a May 31 deadline, warning delays could jeopardize the procurement program.
The Legislature recently passed a special defense budget, setting a ceiling of NT$780 billion while excluding commercial procurement and contract manufacturing projects, per CNA. The amount is NT$470 billion less than the Cabinet’s original eight-year NT$1.25 trillion proposal, and the defense ministry on Thursday briefed the Cabinet on the impact of defense items left unfunded.
The ministry warned that although the special budget has passed, the actual budget allocations and fund disbursement approvals have not yet been finalized. Officials said failure to make the HIMARS payment on time could result in cancellation of the procurement program, leading to lengthy delays and higher costs if the project must be restarted.
Speaking after the Cabinet meeting, Deputy Defense Minister Chen Wen-hsing (陳文星) said the ministry still intends to complete the payment by May 31, according to CNA.
The ministry will prepare a budget proposal for Cabinet review before submitting it to lawmakers for approval. Afterward, it plans to apply for the release of the first payment under Article 84 of the Budget Act.
Chen said Article 84 allows emergency fund releases after reporting to the legislature, completing a budget proposal, and obtaining Cabinet approval, CNA reported.
