Taiwan plans to increase its anti-ship missile stockpile to over 1,800 by 2029, aiming to counter potential Chinese threats, reports Reuters.
Taiwan will boost its stockpile of anti-ship missiles to more than 1,800 by early 2029 as part of an asymmetric strategy to counter a potential Chinese blockade or invasion, reports Reuters.
The arsenal will include 850 US-made Harpoon missiles and about 1,000 domestically produced Hsiung Feng II and III cruise missiles. Deliveries of 400 additional Harpoons under a US$2.4 billion arms sale are scheduled to be completed by March 2029.
Taiwanese officials stated that the missiles would allow the island to establish a 'kill zone' in the Taiwan Strait, inflicting heavy losses on any invasion fleet. The strategy draws lessons from Ukraine's use of missiles and drones against Russia and Iran's ability to strike shipping despite sustained attacks.
Taiwan's defense ministry noted that anti-ship missiles can 'establish a powerful maritime strike capability and degrade the enemy's combat effectiveness.' It added that deployment details remain classified for security reasons.
Analysts indicated that the weapons, mounted on aircraft, ships, and mobile ground launchers, could be dispersed and concealed to survive an initial Chinese bombardment. Retired US Marine Colonel Grant Newsham remarked that long-range precision weapons pose a major challenge for Beijing's invasion plans.
Taiwan's parliament last month approved an extra $25 billion in defense spending for US munitions. The military will also form a new Littoral Combat Command on July 1 to integrate coastal radars, missiles, and drones into a single force.
Beijing has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control. Taipei rejects China's sovereignty claims, asserting that only the island's people can decide their future.
