DATA & FIGURES
The exercise involved 36 rockets, with four failing to launch, and featured locally developed Thunderbolt-2000 multiple-launch rocket systems, drones, and conventional artillery. The Himars system can fire either Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) missiles, which have a range of over 70km, or the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), which can strike targets up to 300km away. Taiwan currently operates 11 Himars systems, with another 18 scheduled for delivery later this year, and is set to expand its Himars fleet to 111 launchers and increase its ATACMS inventory more than fivefold with the approval of a $11.1 billion arms package.
THE SCENARIO
The launch of Himars rockets towards the Taiwan Strait highlights the ongoing tensions between Taiwan and mainland China, with Beijing seeing Taiwan as part of China and having never renounced the use of force to reunite it with the mainland. The exercise reflects Taiwan's broader shift towards an asymmetric defence strategy centered on mobility, survivability, and precision firepower, rather than attempting to match the People's Liberation Army weapon for weapon.
DIRECT QUOTE
"Himars is a precision weapon suited for deep counterstrikes" — Su Tzu-yun, senior analyst at the government-funded Institute for National Defence and Security Research in Taipei
BBN INSIGHT
The launch of Himars rockets towards the Taiwan Strait has significant implications for the region's geopolitical dynamics, highlighting Taiwan's shift towards an asymmetric defence strategy and its efforts to bolster its military capabilities. The exercise also underscores the importance of precision firepower and mobility in modern warfare, and the need for Taiwan to continue investing in its military capabilities to deter potential threats from mainland China.