Full Breakdown
Taiwan Accelerates Anti-Ship Missile Build-Up to Counter Chinese Invasion Threat
6/5/2026, 1:57:23 PM
Missile Arsenal Expansion
Taiwan aims to field over 1,800 anti-ship missiles by early 2029, including about 850 U.S. Harpoons and roughly 1,000 Hsiung Feng II/III missiles. A 2020 arms sale adds 400 Harpoons for delivery by March 2029, and a $25 billion allocation funds U.S. munitions.
Strategic Rationale
Officials label the buildup an “asymmetric” strategy to offset the PLA’s numerical edge. Deploying many mobile, low-cost missiles aims to create a “kill zone” in the Taiwan Strait, inflicting heavy losses on an invading fleet while preserving strike capability. Ukraine and Iran are cited as precedents.
Operational Integration
On 1 July Taiwan will launch a Littoral Combat Command to fuse coastal radars, missiles and drones. Live-fire drills on 3 June showed U.S. TOW and Javelin anti-armor missiles striking maritime targets, demonstrating a layered “anti-landing” concept that relies on mobility, rapid displacement and coordinated fire-support.
Official Statements
Ou Si-fu, deputy CEO of the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said the missiles aim to stop an amphibious landing, not to destroy every PLA ship. Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense described them as capable of establishing a powerful maritime strike capability and degrading enemy combat effectiveness. Michael F. Miller testified that Taiwan is a top priority for Harpoon deliveries; President Donald Trump has yet to decide on the pending $14 billion sale.
Criticism & Opposition
Retired naval officer Yuster Yu warned that many missiles remain on warships or fixed sites the PLA can target, noting “the Chinese know where they are.” A senior official cautioned that production bottlenecks or competing U.S. demands could push Harpoon deliveries to 2030. The $14 billion arms package remains on hold, highlighting uncertainty over future U.S. assistance.
Conflicting Reports
Some officials project the full Harpoon complement will be in place by early 2029, while others allow for a slip to 2030. Neither the Chinese defense ministry nor the U.S. government offered detailed comments on the operational status of Taiwan’s missile force.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Our goal is to stop them from landing and completing their mission, not to destroy every PLA ship,” — Ou Si-fu, Institute for National Defense and Security Research.
- “And, the Chinese know where they are,” — Yuster Yu, retired Taiwanese naval officer.
- “Miller, the director of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, confirmed in testimony at a congressional hearing in March that Taiwan is America’s top priority for Harpoon deliveries.” — Michael F. Miller, Defense Security Cooperation Agency.
- “Taiwan’s defense ministry said in a statement that anti-ship missiles “can establish a powerful maritime strike capability and degrade the enemy’s combat effectiveness.” — Taiwan Ministry of National Defense.
What’s Next
The Littoral Combat Command will become operational in July, and Harpoon deliveries are slated through 2029, though officials note possible delays to 2030. Final decisions on the $14 billion arms package and any further defense-budget adjustments will shape the size and readiness of Taiwan’s anti-ship missile force as cross-strait tensions persist.
