Taiwan demonstrates HIMARS power, enhancing defence capabilities
Taiwan has showcased the operational capability of its unit, which is equipped with powerful M142 HIMARS launchers which can strike targets even within the territory of the People's Republic of China. Here, we present what these systems can accomplish.
The chair of Taiwan's national defence committee, Wang Ting-yu, shared photos of the M142 HIMARS launchers during a visit to the central military base on January 6 at 11:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Wang praised the military personnel trained in the USA, stating that "the soldiers are highly skilled in operating the M142 HIMARS systems and demonstrate exceptionally high morale."
Taiwan acquired 11 M142 HIMARS launchers under a 2020 agreement, and these launchers, delivered at the end of 2024, were shown for the first time. However, this is not the end of deliveries, as a second batch of 18 launchers is also planned. It's also worth noting that along with the HIMARS, Taiwan acquired MGM-140 ATACMS ballistic missiles.
M142 HIMARS — key long-range weapon for Taiwan
The M142 HIMARS systems were developed as a cheaper and easier-to-airlift counterpart to the M270 MLRS systems. They achieved this by mounting the launcher on the chassis of a six-wheeled M1140 truck and using a single launch pod container for six GMLRS rockets or one MGM-140 ATACMS ballistic missile.
GMLRS rockets, equipped with inertial navigation (INS) and satellite navigation (GPS), can strike targets up to 80 kilometres away with an accuracy of a few metres. However, if the opponent has GPS jamming capabilities, the precision slightly worsens. The most common variant is M31A1/A2, which has a classic 90-kilogram warhead.
The warhead itself contains 23 kilograms of explosives, and the fuze can be set to different operation modes. The default is a detonation upon impact, but an airburst or delayed explosion ideal for attacking fortifications is possible, as was demonstrated in the Ukrainian attack on Ivanivske.
The second currently widely used type is the M30A1 rocket, which uses the so-called Alternative Warhead (AW) for area effect. This weapon was developed as an alternative to controversial cluster munitions. The warhead contains 182,000 tungsten balls surrounding a core of powerful explosives. The fuze is designed to detonate the rocket mid-air, resulting in a shower of fragments with enough energy to penetrate body armor, rocket casings, or tanks.
M142 HIMARS with MGM-140 ATACMS — a duo enabling attacks on Chinese territory
The MGM-140 ATACMS ballistic missiles offer much greater capabilities, with a range of up to 300 kilometres. Taiwan most likely received the latest variants, which come in three versions. The basis is the M48, M57, and M57E1 series missiles, which have a sizeable WAU-23/B fragmentation warhead weighing approximately 200 kilograms. The warhead detonates upon hitting the target for the M48 variant, whereas an airburst above the target or a delay is possible for the M57 variant.
Meanwhile, cluster variants are available in both general-purpose and anti-armour versions. The first variant, M39A1, contains a payload of 300 M74 APAM bomblets, which the Russians have repeatedly experienced the effectiveness of during the war in Ukraine.
The second type, M39A3, is more interesting, which uses Brilliant Anti-Armour Technology (BAT) submunitions. These submunitions can autonomously detect targets like tanks using acoustic and thermal sensors and subsequently attack, similar to the Bonus or SMArt 155 artillery shells. This gives Taiwan the capability to significantly hinder Beijing's preparations for a potential invasion.
