TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s Army is gradually replacing its aging T91 rifles with domestically developed T112 assault rifles under an NT$8.11 billion (US$257.5 million) procurement program that includes training combat units to use the new weapons.
The Army plans to acquire 86,114 of the new rifles, along with laser modules and other accessories, through 2029, per Liberty Times. Combat units will receive the new rifles first, while reserve forces will receive refurbished T91 rifles withdrawn from service.
The 1st Battalion of the 564th Combined Arms Brigade began transitioning to the T112 in June and conducted live-fire training in Kaohsiung on Wednesday. According to Youth Daily News, the exercise involved zeroing the rifles’ iron sights at 25 meters to familiarize soldiers with the new weapons’ handling characteristics.
During the exercise, soldiers fired at targets, examined bullet-hole patterns, adjusted their sights, and fired again to verify the results. The process was intended to improve shooting accuracy.
Senior Sergeant Hung Chen-yi (洪振益), a T112 instructor, told the Liberty Times that the new rifle has design features intended to improve handling. He said its longer barrel helps reduce recoil, while a quick-deploy foregrip and other design features help shooters maintain stable positions when aiming and firing.
Sergeant Major Yang Chi-wei (楊紀濰) of the battalion’s combat support company told the Liberty Times that the transition involves coordinating training plans and sending personnel for instruction. He described zeroing as both a basic shooting exercise and an important step in establishing individual shooting parameters.
Yang said the transition also requires logistical and administrative adjustments. Units must arrange storage space, check accessories and spare parts, establish inventory records, and ensure that recorded equipment quantities match physical stock as the Army manages old and new rifles simultaneously.
