Taiwan's First HIMARS Live Fire Toward China: Drill Facts, Procurement Status, and the Stalled $14 Billion Arms Sale

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Taiwan’s First HIMARS Live Fire Toward China: Drill Facts, Procurement Status, and the Stalled $14 Billion Arms Sale

The June 10, 2026 Live-Fire Exercise

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense conducted a live-fire exercise on June 10, 2026, deploying the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) on the island’s western coast for the first time (Lariosa, 2026). The drill took place at the Dajia River estuary in Taichung, directly facing the Taiwan Strait and the Chinese mainland — marking the first occasion on which the U.S.-supplied precision weapon system was fired in the direction of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) (Associated Press, 2026).

The exercise was the second day of a two-day series organized by the Republic of China (ROC) Army’s 10th Corps. Day one of the drills, held on June 9, featured the domestically produced Thunderbolt-2000 multiple rocket launcher system (Taipei Times, 2026a). On June 10, the 58th Artillery Command deployed six HIMARS launchers — three on each bank of the Dajia River — each carrying six M28 reduced-range practice rockets. The exercise involved three firing waves, with each launcher firing two rockets per wave, for a total of 36 rockets scheduled across all six launchers (Taipei Times, 2026a). Of the 36 rockets scheduled, 32 were successfully fired; four rockets failed to ignite — two on the north bank and two on the south bank — with Colonel Weng Yi-ming, chief of staff of the 58th Artillery Command, stating that the cause of the malfunctions was under investigation (Taipei Times, 2026a). Impact points were recorded in waters approximately 9 kilometers offshore (Taipei Times, 2026a).

The military stated that the drill demonstrated the HIMARS’ “shoot-and-scoot” capability — the ability to withdraw from a firing position within three minutes of launching to avoid enemy radar lock — as well as cross-regional fire support and precision strike capability (Lariosa, 2026). Company commander Ko Ming-pin stated: “Our HIMARS demonstrated the solid combat capabilities of the unit and successfully completed this training” (Reuters via NBC News, 2026). Army Sergeant Wang Ming-hui stated: “Due to the current enemy threat, we will continue HIMARS training with unwavering determination to protect Taiwan as the nation’s strongest force” (Associated Press, 2026).

The exercise also incorporated 155mm howitzers and M109A2 and M110A2 self-propelled artillery systems, simulating a response to a Chinese invasion of Taiwan’s western coast — the beaches and mudflats of which are assessed as the most likely landing zone for any PLA amphibious assault (Taipei Times, 2026a; Reuters via NBC News, 2026).

HIMARS Specifications and Strategic Role

The M142 HIMARS is a truck-mounted, single-pod rocket artillery system manufactured by Lockheed Martin. It is capable of launching multiple precision-guided rockets simultaneously and can support munitions with ranges from 20 to 186 miles (Lariosa, 2026). The system is currently being evaluated for extended-range missiles capable of striking moving vessels at distances up to 621 miles (Lariosa, 2026). With a standard operational range of approximately 300 kilometers (186 miles), HIMARS deployed on Taiwan’s west coast can strike coastal targets in China’s southeastern Fujian Province (Taipei Times, 2026a; Stars and Stripes, 2026).

Taiwan’s 2025 National Defense Report identifies HIMARS as a pivotal capability for forces based on the island’s western side, stating that the system would enable “long-range strikes against enemy forces and high value targets, and improve the effectiveness of defensive operations” (Lariosa, 2026). The report also draws on lessons from Ukraine’s use of HIMARS in its conflict with Russia as a justification for expanding Taiwan’s drone and mobile strike inventory (Lariosa, 2026b). HIMARS is part of a broader U.S.-encouraged strategic shift toward asymmetric warfare — designed to enable Taiwan to function as a “porcupine” that is difficult to attack and capable of surviving a Chinese assault (Reuters via NBC News, 2026).

When equipped with Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS), HIMARS gives Taiwanese commanders the ability to strike targets on the Chinese mainland during a conflict, including ports of embarkation for invasion forces, airfields, and naval bases (Lariosa, 2026). The system is envisioned to work in combination with Taiwan’s domestically developed Thunderbolt-2000 launchers, enabling Chinese forces to be targeted as they depart port or attempt to land on Taiwan’s coast (Reuters via NBC News, 2026).

HIMARS Procurement History and Forward Deployment Plans

Taiwan’s first purchase of HIMARS was filed in 2024, with the initial batch of launchers delivered in May 2025 (Lariosa, 2026). Taiwan’s first live-fire test of the system was conducted off its east coast in 2025 (Reuters via NBC News, 2026). Taiwan’s total planned HIMARS order stands at 111 launchers, with an additional 82 units announced in December 2025 as part of the $11 billion U.S. arms package (Yang, 2026). The full procurement also includes 504 ATACMS with a maximum operational range of approximately 190 miles (Yang, 2026). On March 13, 2026, Taiwan’s legislature voted to allow the Executive Yuan to sign the Letter of Acceptance with the United States for the arms package that included HIMARS and ATACMS (Yang, 2026).

In early May 2026, Taiwanese military officials confirmed plans to forward-deploy HIMARS units to the offshore islands of Penghu and Dongyin (Taipei Times, 2026b). A military source stated that the rationale is to establish a “dead zone” that the PLA would not dare enter, forcing Chinese coastal military assets to retreat at least 100 kilometers inland (Taipei Times, 2026b). The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) published a range map on May 13, 2026, illustrating the extended strike envelope from both island locations (ISW, 2026).

The following table summarizes the key geographic and strategic parameters of the planned forward deployments:

Island Distance from PRC Mainland Key PLA Targets Within Range Strategic Significance
Dongyin (Matsu Archipelago) ~30 miles from Fuzhou area Wenzhou, Yuhuan Naval Base, Taizhou, Wuyishan Airport, Nanping Missile Base Northernmost Taiwanese territory; hardened tunnel infrastructure; compresses PLA missile intercept timelines
Penghu (Pescadores) ~70 miles from Fujian coast Quanzhou, Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Shantou, Shantou Waisha Airfield, Dachengwan Training Base Central Taiwan Strait position; ATACMS can strike 150+ km inland into Fujian

Sources: (Yang, 2026); (Taipei Times, 2026b)

The Ministry of National Defense has also reserved space in a subsequent procurement to purchase the Lockheed Martin Precision Strike Missile, with a range of up to 500 kilometers, which would extend HIMARS’ reach even when deployed on Taiwan’s main island (Taipei Times, 2026b). A Jamestown Foundation analysis published May 29, 2026, noted that Taipei may view the current period as opportune for forward deployment, given the reduction of U.S. presence in the Indo-Pacific following the commencement of Operation Epic Fury against Iran (Yang, 2026).

Concurrent Precision Strike Exercises: Anduril Altius-600M Drones

The HIMARS drill on June 10 was preceded on June 3 by a separate exercise in which Taiwan’s Army fired Anduril Industries’ Altius-600M loitering munitions against maritime targets for the first time, achieving a 100% hit rate during the “Tianma” exercise in Yilan (Lariosa, 2026b). The Republic of China Army received approximately 2,000 Altius-600 loitering munitions from Anduril Industries, with full delivery completed in March 2026 (Lariosa, 2026b). The Altius-600M carries a 9-pound warhead and can strike targets at ranges up to 99 miles, filling a capability gap between Taiwan’s long-range anti-ship missiles and short-range artillery systems (Lariosa, 2026b). At least three towed flatbed launchers, each equipped with four Altius drones, were deployed during the exercise (Lariosa, 2026b).

Taiwan’s Littoral Combat Command — a formation combining Marines, Navy missile brigades, and fast attack craft — is scheduled to activate in July 2026 and will incorporate drones as a core component of maritime domain awareness and strike capabilities (Lariosa, 2026b).

Alexander Tah-ray Yui and Taiwan’s Diplomatic Arms Requests

Alexander Tah-ray Yui (俞大㵢) is Taiwan’s 16th Representative to the United States, serving at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) in Washington, D.C. since December 12, 2023 (Wikipedia, 2025; TECRO, 2025). He succeeded Hsiao Bi-khim in the role. Yui is a career diplomat with over 35 years of experience in Taiwan’s foreign service (Global Taiwan Institute, n.d.). His prior postings include: Representative to the European Union and Belgium (2023); Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs (2021–2023); Director-General, Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs (2018–2021); Ambassador to Paraguay (2015–2018); Chief of Mission in Geneva (2012–2015); and First Secretary in El Salvador (2003–2009) (TECRO, 2025). He holds a B.A. in Political Science and Modern Languages and an M.A. in Spanish Literature, both from Texas A&M University, and has completed executive programs at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and the London School of Economics (TECRO, 2025). He is fluent in Spanish and English and speaks conversational French (Wikipedia, 2025).

Yui’s online presence and official profiles include:

In an interview with the Associated Press conducted on June 17, 2026, at the Twin Oaks Estate in Washington, Yui stated: “We need those arms for defensive purposes. We’re trying to increase our defense expenditure. We try to increase our ability to defend ourselves better and survive times of crisis” (Tang, 2026). He further stated that Taiwan “will not wait and depend for the U.S. cavalry to come and save us” and that weapons sales need to be “commensurate” to the threat level from China, which he characterized as “actually pretty high” (Tang, 2026). Yui also stated: “First and foremost, we’re not the aggressors. It is the People’s Republic of China who is sending all the planes and ships” (Tang, 2026).

In a separate interview with POLITICO published June 6, 2026, Yui described the $14 billion arms sale as reflecting the “degree of concern from our side and also from our U.S. friends regarding the threat level Taiwan is under,” and stated that the purchase is intended to improve “self-defense capabilities, especially asymmetric warfare preparations, defense against Chinese missiles and better communications” (Kine, 2026). Yui stated he had “not feel any concern that we’re being sort of traded off to the Chinese in any way” in response to Trump’s characterization of the arms sale as a negotiating chip (Kine, 2026).

The $14 Billion Arms Sale: Status and Political Context

A $14 billion arms sale package to Taiwan — which includes air defense missiles such as Lockheed Martin’s PAC-3 and surface-to-air missile systems — was approved in principle by senior U.S. lawmakers in late 2025 but has not received final approval from the Trump administration (BBC News, 2026). Following a presidential summit in Beijing in May 2026, during which Chinese President Xi Jinping devoted significant time to the Taiwan issue, President Trump told Fox News that the arms sale was “a very good negotiating chip” with China (Tang, 2026). Trump also stated he had discussed U.S. arms sales to Taiwan “in great detail” with Xi — a departure from a 1982 U.S. assurance to Taiwan that Washington would not consult Beijing on such matters (BBC News, 2026).

Acting U.S. Navy Secretary Hung Cao confirmed at a Senate hearing on May 22, 2026, that the $14 billion package was being paused to ensure sufficient munitions for Operation Epic Fury — the U.S.-Israel joint military operation in Iran — stating: “Right now we’re doing a pause in order to make sure we have the munitions we need for Epic Fury — which we have plenty. We’re just making sure we have everything, but then the foreign military sales will continue when the administration deems necessary” (BBC News, 2026). A spokesperson for Taiwan’s presidential office stated they had not received any information about “U.S. adjustments to the arms sale” (BBC News, 2026).

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, testifying before Congress in June 2026, affirmed that U.S. policy on Taiwan had not changed and that Washington does not “consult with the Chinese on these arms deals,” adding: “We’re aware of their position. They talk about it all the time. They are not negotiated, and they are not consulted” (Tang, 2026). Rubio stated the $14 billion proposal was under review rather than held up, citing the need to balance availability of weapons stocks drawn down during the Iran conflict (Tang, 2026).

The $11 billion arms package approved in December 2025 — one of the largest ever — included 82 HIMARS launchers and munitions ($4.05 billion), ATACMS, Altius loitering munition drones, self-propelled howitzers ($4 billion), and Javelin anti-tank missiles (Reuters, 2025). China’s foreign ministry stated at the time that the package would “accelerate the push towards a dangerous and violent situation across the Taiwan Strait” (BBC News, 2025).

The United States is obligated by the Taiwan Relations Act (Public Law 96-8, 22 U.S.C. 3301 et seq.) to provide Taiwan with sufficient defensive arms and services to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability (AIT, n.d.). The U.S. does not formally recognize Taiwan as a sovereign state but opposes any change to its status by force (Reuters via NBC News, 2026).

Taiwan’s Broader Defense Posture and Budget

Taiwan’s legislature passed a supplementary defense budget of NT$780 billion (US$24.8 billion) on May 8, 2026, authorizing spending through 2033 for U.S. arms purchases (FAPA, 2026). The budget was passed by the opposition-controlled legislature (Kuomintang and Taiwan People’s Party) and represents a pared-back version of President Lai Ching-te’s original NT$1.25 trillion request (Breaking Defense, 2026). The budget includes NT$300 billion for the arms packages already approved by the U.S. in December 2025 and NT$480 billion for a subsequent expected arms package (Focus Taiwan, 2026).

President Lai Ching-te has committed to increasing Taiwan’s defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2030, up from approximately 3% in 2026 (Reuters, 2026). Taiwan’s total 2026 defense budget, including veteran affairs and Coast Guard expenditures, stands at NT$949.5 billion (US$31.08 billion), representing a 22.9% year-on-year increase and 3.32% of GDP (OCAC, 2025).

In addition to HIMARS and loitering munitions, Taiwan is expanding its naval air defense capabilities. The navy plans to produce between 1,200 and 1,376 Hai Chien II (Sea Sword II) missiles — also known as TC-2N — to serve as the standard air defense system for its surface combatant fleet, replacing the outdated MIM-72 Chaparral systems (Taipei Times, 2026c). The Hai Chien II completed a live-fire test at the Jiupeng facility in Pingtung County in late May 2026 (Taipei Times, 2026c).

PRC Military Activity and Response

China’s military did not publicly respond to the June 10 HIMARS drill (SCMP, 2026). China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian, responding to Yui’s arms request statements, stated: “China’s opposition to American arms sales to Taiwan is consistent and clear” and called it “a dead end” for the Taiwanese government to seek independence by relying on the U.S. and through military means (Tang, 2026).

The PLA maintains near-daily air and naval operations around Taiwan. In June 2026, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported that the Chinese Coast Guard conducted continuous patrols east of Taiwan from June 1 onward, and the PRC’s Ministry of Natural Resources deployed the research vessel Xiang Yang Hong 22 to conduct a “marine environmental survey” east of Taiwan from June 16 to 18 — activity that ISW assessed as a potential effort to expand PRC maritime jurisdiction beyond the first island chain (ISW, 2026). On June 22, 2026, PLA Daily published the first official footage of a DF-17 medium-range ballistic missile equipped with the DF-ZF hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV), which has a reported range of 1,800 to 2,500 kilometers and can travel at up to Mach 10, significantly complicating ballistic missile defense efforts (ISW, 2026). Taiwan tracked 11 Chinese ships and 4 military aircraft in a single monitoring period in June 2026 (Taiwan News, 2026).

References

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