Taichung: Taiwan's military tested its new HIMARS high-altitude missile system in Taichung to simulate a counterattack against an attempted Chinese invasion. The demonstration focused on showcasing a "shoot-and-scoot" strategy to avoid retaliatory attacks and increase troop survivability.
According to Thai News Agency, the operation marked the first time test firings were conducted from the west coast, a direct frontier facing China. This aligns with Taiwan's government policy of modernizing its military training to be more agile and resemble real combat situations.
The HIMARS missile system, manufactured by the US company Lockheed Martin, has a range of approximately 300 kilometers. This capability allows the Taiwanese military to fire across the Taiwan Strait and strike targets along the coast of Fujian Province in southern China. Taiwan's western coast is considered a strategic point where the Chinese military might launch an offensive.
Additionally, Taiwan plans to deploy the HIMARS missile system alongside its domestically developed Thunderbolt-2000 missile launchers, which began test firings on the first day of the exercises. This preparation comes amidst heightened tensions as the Chinese government continues to deploy fighter jets and warships around Taiwan almost daily to exert pressure.