Taiwan Fires HIMARS and Thunderbolt Rockets in Coastal Drills

The Military of Taiwan conducted a series of live-fire coastal exercises from June 9 to June 11, 2026, simulating the defense of the west coast against a Chinese amphibious assault. Centered around Taichung City and the Dajia River estuary, the drills established a kill zone to delay and weaken landing forces. The exercises featured the first live-fire use of domestically developed Thunderbolt-2000 rocket systems in seven years, though one training rocket malfunctioned and landed near its launch site.

On June 10 and 11, the military expanded the drills by firing U.S.-supplied High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) into the Taiwan Strait for the first time from the island's west coast. These maneuvers focused on shoot-and-scoot tactics—rapid deployment and withdrawal—to avoid radar detection and enhance battlefield survivability. The exercises also utilized 155 mm Paladin howitzers and TOW missiles to test joint firepower capabilities.

Commanders noted a shift toward realistic combat conditions, reducing unit preparation time from one week to a single day. These actions align with an asymmetric porcupine strategy encouraged by the United States to deter aggression from the Chinese Communist Party. However, reports indicate that a planned U.S. sale of 82 additional HIMARS systems is currently on hold following a meeting in Beijing between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.