Taiwan conducts first HIMARS drills
Taiwan's HIMARS will be deployed by the Republic of China Army's 58th Artillery Command. (Stewart & Stevenson)
Taiwan has conducted its first live-fire drills with its newly procured Lockheed Martin M142 High Mobility Artillery System (HIMARS), the country's Ministry of National Defense (MND) has announced.
The MND said in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on 12 May that the HIMARS exercise âshowcased rapid deployment and next-generation strike capabilitiesâ.
The drills were conducted by the Republic of China Army's (RoCA's) 58th Artillery Command at its Jiupeng Base in Pingtung County, Taiwan's state-owned Central News Agency (CNA) reported. This base is located close to the southwestern coast, overlooking the Taiwan Strait.
According to CNA, the HIMARS exercise featured the firing of 33 rockets from 11 launcher vehicles, with each vehicle firing three rounds.
In November 2024 CNA reported that Taiwan had received an initial batch of 11 HIMARSs. An unknown number of MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMSs), to be fired from the HIMARS, were also delivered at that time.
CNA reported on 12 May, citing a report submitted by the MND to Taiwan's Legislative Yuan, that the remaining 18 HIMARSs are scheduled to be delivered in 2026, instead of its originally planned delivery in 2027.
An explanation for the accelerated delivery schedule was not provided, but it is possible that it is a result of Taiwan's increased risk profile.
Taiwan has ordered a total of 29 HIMARSs and 84 ATACMSs from the US in two separate orders since 2020.
According to Janes Land Warfare Platforms: Artillery and Air Defence
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