Twenty-nine sets of M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) that the military purchased from the US in 2020 and 2022 are to be delivered in different batches between the end of this year and 2026, based on the military’s plan.
International demand for HIMARS has been high after it has helped Ukraine hit long-range targets with precision in its war with Russia. Before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the US government had agreed to sell 11 sets of HIMARS to Taiwan after it was confirmed that M109A6 howitzer artillery weapons would not be available to procure
The military later purchased 18 more sets of HIMARS.
Photo: AFP
The second procurement package, which cost approximately NT$32.5 billion (US$1 billion), also includes 84 MGM-140 army tactical missiles and 864 rockets.
Based on the military’s plan, the first order of 11 sets of HIMARS is to be delivered between the end of this year and next year, while the remaining sets would be delivered before the end of 2026.
The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) on Friday last week said that the US Department of State had approved the sale of 16 sets of HIMARS to Norway. The arms sales package, which topped US$580 million, also included 15 sets of M30A2 multiple rocket pods, 15 sets of M31A2 multiple rocket pods and 100 MGM-140 pods, as well as logistics, training and technical support.
Both M30A2 and M31A2 rockets are guided by GPS, making them more accurate in hitting their targets than traditional rockets.
Their maximum shooting range is about 92km.
The M30A2 rocket is designed with submunitions, while the M31A2 rocket is equipped with a single high-explosive warhead. The MGM-140 missiles purchased by Norway not only have a range of up to 300km, but also have a very high accuracy, with a circular arithmetic error of only 9m.
The Norwegian government had earlier this year announced that it would increase its defense spending to 600 billion kroner (US$55.7 billion) over the next 12 years, adding that its defense budget would reach 1.624 trillion kroner by 2036.
The arms package “will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the US by improving the security of a NATO ally that is an important force for political stability and economic progress in Europe,” the DSCA said.
“The proposed sale will improve Norway’s capability to meet current and future threats and enhance its interoperability with US and other allied forces. It will also enhance Norway’s artillery and mid-range fire capability,” the agency said, adding that it would not alter the military balance in the region.
Conflict with Taiwan could leave China with “massive economic disruption, catastrophic military losses, significant social unrest, and devastating sanctions,” a US think tank said in a report released on Monday. The German Marshall Fund released a report titled If China Attacks Taiwan: The Consequences for China of “Minor Conflict” and “Major War” Scenarios. The report details the “massive” economic, military, social and international costs to China in the event of a minor conflict or major war with Taiwan, estimating that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) could sustain losses of more than half of its active-duty ground forces, including 100,000 troops. Understanding Chinese
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday said it is closely monitoring developments in Venezuela, and would continue to cooperate with democratic allies and work together for regional and global security, stability, and prosperity. The remarks came after the US on Saturday launched a series of airstrikes in Venezuela and kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who was later flown to New York along with his wife. The pair face US charges related to drug trafficking and alleged cooperation with gangs designated as terrorist organizations. Maduro has denied the allegations. The ministry said that it is closely monitoring the political and economic situation
UNRELENTING: China attempted cyberattacks on Taiwan’s critical infrastructure 2.63 million times per day last year, up from 1.23 million in 2023, the NSB said China’s cyberarmy has long engaged in cyberattacks against Taiwan’s critical infrastructure, employing diverse and evolving tactics, the National Security Bureau (NSB) said yesterday, adding that cyberattacks on critical energy infrastructure last year increased 10-fold compared with the previous year. The NSB yesterday released a report titled Analysis on China’s Cyber Threats to Taiwan’s Critical Infrastructure in 2025, outlining the number of cyberattacks, major tactics and hacker groups. Taiwan’s national intelligence community identified a large number of cybersecurity incidents last year, the bureau said in a statement. China’s cyberarmy last year launched an average of 2.63 million intrusion attempts per day targeting Taiwan’s critical
AGING: As of last month, people aged 65 or older accounted for 20.06 percent of the total population and the number of couples who got married fell by 18,685 from 2024 Taiwan has surpassed South Korea as the country least willing to have children, with an annual crude birthrate of 4.62 per 1,000 people, Ministry of the Interior data showed yesterday. The nation was previously ranked the second-lowest country in terms of total fertility rate, or the average number of children a woman has in her lifetime. However, South Korea’s fertility rate began to recover from 2023, with total fertility rate rising from 0.72 and estimated to reach 0.82 to 0.85 by last year, and the crude birthrate projected at 6.7 per 1,000 people. Japan’s crude birthrate was projected to fall below six,
RSS