Taiwan formalizes order for Harpoon Coastal Defense System, HIMARS rocket system

M142 HIMARS rocket launchers. Photo c/o Army Recognition.

The Republic of China (Taiwan) Ministry of National Defense (MND) has announced that it signed two contracts worth a total of US$1.75 billion with American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), for the acquisition Boeing’s Harpoon Coastal Defense System (HCDS) and Lockheed Martin M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS).

The announcement, made on 17 June 2021, did not specifically mentioned the products being acquired, and only mentioned that a deal worth US$346.3 million was signed for “long range precision strike system” for the Republic of China Army (ROCA) in Taoyuan.

Also announced was another deal worth US$1.406 million for “batch of missiles” for the Republic of China Navy (ROCN) based in Kaohsiung. 

Media reports believe that the systems being acquired were the Boeing HCDS and Lockheed Martin HIMARS, respectively.

The HIMARS are expected to be delivered in full by 2027, while the HCDS are expected to be delivered completely by 2028.

The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) previously made public two separate notifications published on October 2020 of US State Department approval for the potential Foreign Military Sales (FMS) of 11 M142 HIMARS launchers, munitions and related equipment with an estimated value worth US$436.1 million, and 100 HCDS, RGM-84L-4 Harpoon Block II anti-ship missiles and related equipment with an estimated value worth US$2.37 billion.

The HIMARS is a mobile artillery rocket system, each launcher capable of firing six M26, M30 or M31 rockets, or a single MGM-140 ATACMS missile.

Meanwhile, the Harpoon Coastal Defense System is a land-based mobile anti-ship missile system, with each launcher capable of firing a number of RHM-84L-4 Harpoon Block II anti-ship cruise missiles.

Both systems are considered asymmetrical warfare assets that would allow Taiwan to conduct Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) operations against aggressors Taiwan has previously mentioned its desire to defend itself against an increasingly aggressive China.

[1] Jane’s

[2] Taiwan News

[3] Focus Taiwan