Taiwan Conducts First Live-Fire HIMARS Exercise in Taiwan Strait
Taiwan's military fired U.S.-supplied HIMARS rockets into the Taiwan Strait on June 10, 2026, marking the first time the mobile launcher system was used in live-fire exercises in the narrow waterway separating the island from China. The drill demonstrated Taiwan's asymmetric defense strategy using shoot-and-scoot tactics to rapidly deploy and strike targets while avoiding direct confrontation with China's larger military. The exercise underscores Taiwan's efforts to strengthen its defensive capabilities amid ongoing Chinese military pressure and uncertainty over a pending U.S. arms deal.
Taiwan's military conducted a live-fire exercise on June 10, 2026, using U.S.-supplied High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) to fire rockets into the Taiwan Strait, the first such demonstration in the waterway separating Taiwan from mainland China. The exercise, held on Taiwan's west coast facing China, tested the mobile launcher's shoot-and-scoot capabilities—rapid deployment from hidden positions followed by quick relocation—alongside 155mm howitzers in a simulated response to Chinese invasion. The HIMARS system, which can fire and relocate within minutes, represents a strategic shift toward asymmetric defense rather than large-scale weapons acquisitions. The drill comes amid persistent Chinese military activity near Taiwan, including near-daily incursions by warships and aircraft, and follows China's major military exercises in recent years. The U.S. announced plans in December to sell 82 additional HIMARS systems to Taiwan, though that package reportedly has been placed on hold following President Trump's recent meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
What different sources said
- The HinduCenter
Taiwan fires rockets in China’s direction from a U.S.-supplied mobile launching system in drill
- Washington TimesRight
Taiwan fires rockets in China's direction from a U.S.-supplied mobile launching system in drill
- NPR NewsLeft
Taiwan drills with U.S. rocket system, firing in China's direction
- New York PostRight
Taiwan fires battle-tested rockets in anti-invasion drill
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