Taiwan has taken steps to enhance its maritime defense capabilities in response to the threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party. The country recently purchased the Harpoon Coastal Defense System (HCDS) from the United States, with the first batch of equipment having already arrived in Taiwan.
According to reports from Taiwan’s Central News Agency on June 28, Taiwan has received the initial five Harpoon anti-ship missile launchers and a command vehicle as part of the HCDS from the United States. Sources familiar with the matter revealed that the naval personnel of Taiwan’s Sea Vanguard Fleet have commenced training for the equipment installation, and the delivery of the first Harpoon missiles is expected before the end of the year.
In 2020, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced the sale of 100 sets of the Harpoon Coastal Defense System to Taiwan. This includes 400 RGM-84L-4 Harpoon Block II surface-to-surface missiles, 4 exercise missiles, 411 containers, and 25 radar vehicles, totaling approximately $2.37 billion.
The DSCA emphasized that the Harpoon system is “highly reliable and effective,” providing Taiwan with capabilities to counter maritime aggression, coastal blockades, and amphibious assaults without altering the regional military balance, which aligns with US national interests.
The manufacturer of the coastal defense missile system, Boeing, stated that the Harpoon Block II missile is equipped with a 500-pound (about 227 kilograms) high-explosive warhead, capable of targeting ships up to 77 nautical miles (about 124 kilometers) away, with full delivery expected by 2028.
Furthermore, the US provides Taiwan with defensive weapons under the Taiwan Relations Act to resist Beijing’s attempts to resolve the Taiwan Strait dispute through non-peaceful means, as reported on Monday by Newsweek.
Presently, Taiwan is expanding its anti-ship missile bases in Tainan, Kaohsiung, Pingtung, and Taitung, and plans to establish a Maritime Operations Command in the coming year. This command will integrate units such as the Sea Vanguard Fleet to construct a dense fire network to deter potential enemy threats.