Washington Clears $11.15 Billion Weapons Package for Taiwan, Largest on Record

The United States has authorized an $11.15 billion arms package for Taiwan, marking the largest single U.S. weapons sale to the island as tensions with mainland China persist. The decision, announced Thursday, adds significant firepower to Taipei’s inventory and aligns with the island’s multi-year effort to strengthen its defenses against potential military action by Beijing.

Scope of the Deal

The package covers a wide range of equipment. It includes 82 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and related support valued at $4.05 billion. These launchers will be paired with 420 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles capable of striking targets up to 300 kilometers away. The deal also features unmanned surveillance platforms and software designed to improve battlefield awareness.

Ground-based fire support will be further expanded with 60 M109A7 self-propelled howitzers and associated equipment worth more than $4 billion. Rounding out the order are Javelin and TOW anti-tank missiles totaling over $700 million, along with spare parts for helicopters and anti-ship missile systems.

Funding and Domestic Context in Taiwan

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said the acquisition falls under the island’s NT$40 billion (about $40 billion) supplementary defense budget announced by President Lai Ching-te in November. Lai has stated that Taiwan must reach a “high level of combat readiness” by 2027, the year he believes Beijing aims to have the capability to seize the island.

Speaking last month, Lai warned of an “unprecedented military buildup” by China and cited rising maritime and aerial activity across the Taiwan Strait and broader Indo-Pacific. The new U.S. weapons are therefore intended to accelerate Taiwan’s modernization program and deter any attempt to force unification.

Regional Friction Escalates

Chinese military movements around Taiwan continued this week. On Wednesday, Taipei’s defense ministry reported via social platform X that China’s Fujian aircraft carrier transited the Taiwan Strait. Taiwanese forces stated they “monitored the situation and responded,” without detailing specific countermeasures.

Beijing criticized Taipei’s expanded defense spending the same day. A spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the ruling Democratic Progressive Party’s strategy of “resisting reunification and seeking independence using armed forces is doomed to fail.” China regards Taiwan as part of its territory and maintains that full reunification is a “historical inevitability.” Taipei rejects that claim, emphasizing its democratic governance and de facto autonomy.

In addition to maritime activity, China has staged multiple live-fire exercises near the island in recent years, underscoring what officials in Beijing call warnings against “provocations for independence.” These drills have included simulated blockades and precision strikes, sharpening concerns among U.S. and allied policymakers.

U.S. Legal Framework

While Washington does not maintain a mutual defense treaty with Taipei, the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act commits the United States to provide defense articles and services “in such quantity as may be necessary” for Taiwan to preserve a credible self-defense capability. Successive U.S. administrations have followed that mandate, although the scale of the current sale is unprecedented.

Imagem: imagem internet 49

The announcement follows a series of smaller transfers in recent years that emphasized mobile missile launchers, anti-ship weapons and air-defense systems. Defense analysts say the latest tranche signals a continued focus on asymmetric capabilities designed to complicate any large-scale amphibious assault by the People’s Liberation Army.

Reaction Beyond the Strait

Regional commentary extends beyond the immediate China-Taiwan dynamic. In November, Chinese officials lashed out at Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi after she remarked that an attack on Taiwan could prompt the deployment of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces. Beijing demanded a retraction and advised Chinese tourists to avoid Japan, adding another layer of friction between the two Asian powers.

Japan, along with the United States and several other partners, has grown more vocal about preserving stability in the Taiwan Strait, a waterway through which roughly one-third of global shipping passes. Any conflict there could disrupt supply chains and maritime traffic across the broader Indo-Pacific region.

Next Steps

Under U.S. law, Congress must be formally notified of major foreign military sales, triggering a review period during which legislators can raise objections. With bipartisan support for Taiwan high on Capitol Hill, the deal is expected to clear procedural hurdles swiftly.

Delivery timelines were not disclosed, but large systems such as HIMARS and self-propelled howitzers generally require coordinated training and logistical preparation. Taiwan’s defense ministry indicated it will work with American counterparts to expedite shipments while integrating new assets into existing force structures.

For Washington, the record-setting sale underscores a strategic objective of ensuring that Taiwan remains capable of deterring coercion without direct U.S. intervention. For Taipei, the additional firepower represents a substantial step toward Lai’s 2027 readiness goal.

Crédito da imagem: Sam Yeh | AFP | Getty Images