By Stijn Mitzer and Joost Oliemans
With a yearly budget of $19 billion in 2023, Taiwan faces significant challenges in matching the pace of China's ever-expanding military might. Consequently, the country has made strategic decisions to prioritise investments in its air force and navy, recognising the critical role these branches play in defending the island nation. As the Taiwanese Army is set to engage only after Chinese forces have landed on its territory, the Taiwanese Armed Forces' primary objective lies in establishing a robust deterrent to deter China from carrying out an amphibious landing in the first place.
As Taiwan attempts to deter the dragon, it is facing ongoing criticism for pursuing a procurement strategy that favours large naval vessels such as landing platform docks (LPDs) and ocean-going hunter killer submarines over a fleet of midget submarines, fast attack craft (FACs) and additional coastal defence missile systems (CDS). Though many perceive a cross-strait invasion as the biggest threat to Taiwan's security, Taipei is concerned about the possibility of a concerted strategy by China to encircle and isolate the island nation through a naval blockade.
While arguments can be made in favor of the U.S. Navy's role in securing communication lines to Taiwan, Taiwan is likely to approach this partnership with a sense of caution, given the US' abandonment of South Vietnam in the 1970s, the withdrawal from Iraq in 2011 and, more recently, from Afghanistan. As Taiwan's options to procure armament from abroad are severely limited, the country has opted to design much of the required weapons systems itself.
Nonetheless, significant concerns loom over the readiness of the Taiwanese Armed Forces. Taiwan currently finds itself comparatively ill-prepared for a full-fledged war with its powerful neighbour. To address these challenges, Taipei has begun implementing several lessons learned from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, such as the
importance of stockpiling munitions. These lessons have become crucial as China's
rapid military expansion has eroded many of Taiwan's defensive
advantages. Addressing these issues will be critical for Taiwan to bolster its defense capabilities and maintain its security in the face of evolving threats.
This
article attempts to list (future) equipment acquisitions by the Republic of China's Army, Air Force,
Navy and Coast Guard Administration. This list focuses on heavy weaponry and doesn't
include ATGMs, MANPADS, radars and
ammunition and vessels of less than 1000 tons. This is updated as new acquisitions are reported. Our list showing active Taiwanese fighting vehicles can be viewed here.
Republic of China Army
Tanks
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108 M1A2T MBTs [Delivery Ongoing] - Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view. Upgrade Of 460 M60A3 MBTs With New Engines And Fire-Control Systems
[To be completed in the late 2020s] - Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view. Upgrade Of 450 CM-11 MBTs With New Engines And Fire-Control Systems
[To commence in the late 2020s or early 2030s]
Armoured Fighting Vehicles
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Clik here to view. Planned Acquisition Of Wheeled Mobile Gun Systems [Design Ongoing] (To replace the M41D light tanks and some of the older-generation MBTs)
Artillery
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Clik here to view. Planned Acquisition Of Wheeled 120mm Self-Propelled Mortars [Design Ongoing] - Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view. Programme For Wheeled 155mm Self-Propelled Guns [Planned Project]
Air Defence Systems
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Clik here to view. 6+ TC-2 SAM Batteries [Delivery Ongoing] (Additional TC-2 Batteries to be procured for the ROC Marine Corps)
Loitering Munitions
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Chien Hsiang - Anti-Radition Version [Will be delivered from 2025 onwards] - Image may be NSFW.
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Chien Hsiang - EO/IR Version [Will be delivered from 2025 onwards] - Image may be NSFW.
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Chien Hsiang - GPS-Guided Version [Will be delivered from 2025 onwards]
Republic of China Air Force
Fighter Aircraft
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66 F-16V Block 70/72s [Delivery Ongoing] - Image may be NSFW.
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Upgrade Of 141 F-16A/Bs To F-16V Standard [Delivery Ongoing] - Image may be NSFW.
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Advanced Defense Fighter (ADF) Fighter Programme [First flight expected in 2025]
Advanced Jet Trainers / Light Combat Aircraft
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66 AIDC T-5 Brave Eagles [Delivery Ongoing] (Can be armed with IR-guided AAMs, AGM-65 AGMs, bombs and rocket pods)
Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles
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4 MQ-9 SeaGuardians [Will be delivered between 2025 and 2029] - Image may be NSFW.
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Ten Yung 2 [Planned Acquisition] - Image may be NSFW.
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Programme To Develop Jet-Powered Flying Wing Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles [Planned Project]
Air Defence Systems
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4 NASAMS Batteries [To be ordered in 2024]
Republic of China Navy
Landing Helicopter Dock
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1 Amphibious Helicopter Dock Landing Ship [Long-Term Acquisition Plan]
Landing Platform Docks
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3 Yushan-Class Landing Platform Docks [Long-Term Acquisition Plan] (Will Supplement 1 Yushan-class Landing Platform Dock already in service since 2023)
Surface Combatants
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9 Tuo Chiang-Class Missile Corvettes [Will be delivered between 2023 and 2027] (Will Supplement 3 Tuo Chiang-Class Missile Corvettes already in service since 2014) - Image may be NSFW.
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8 Light Frigates (Consisting Of An Air Defence And ASW Variant) [Will be delivered in the late 2020s and early 2030s] - Image may be NSFW.
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Upgrade Of 6 Kang-Ding Class Frigates With A 32-Cell VLS For TC-2N SAMs, New Radar Systems And An Improved Combat Management System [To be completed in the late 2020s] - Image may be NSFW.
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New Class Of Aegis System-Equipped Frigates[Long-Term Acquisition Plan] - Image may be NSFW.
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New Class Of Aegis System-Equipped Guided-Missile Destroyers[Long-Term Acquisition Plan] - Image may be NSFW.
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Upgrade Of All 76mm Oto Melara Cannons With Strales System And DART Ammunition [To be completed in the early 2030s]
Submarines
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8 Indigenous Defense Submarines [Will be delivered from 2024 onwards]
Minehunters
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New Class Of Mine Countermeasures Ships[Long-Term Acquisition Plan]
Miscellaneous Vessels
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1 Multipurpose Personnel Carrier Vessel [Long-Term Acquisition Plan] - Image may be NSFW.
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6 Rescue And Salvage Ships [Will be delivered in the late 2020s and early 2030s] (One vessel is currently being outfitted. Five more planned) - Image may be NSFW.
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New Class Of Ocean Survey Ships [Long-Term Acquisition Plan]
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
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'Albatross II' [2023]
Coast Guard Administration
Patrol (Missile) Corvettes
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6 Anping-Class Patrol (Missile) Corvettes [Will be delivered between 2023 and 2026] (Will Supplement 6 Anping-Class Patrol Corvettes already in service since 2020) (Can carry up to 16 HF-2 and HF-3 AShMs)
Offshore Patrol Vessels
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2 Chiayi-Class Offshore Patrol Vessels [Will be delivered in 2023 and 2024] (Will Supplement 2 Chiayi-Class OPVs already in service since 2021 and 2022) - Image may be NSFW.
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5 1,000-ton Patrol And Rescue Ships [Will be delivered between 2022 and 2024] (Will Supplement 1 1,000-Ton Patrol And Rescue Ship already in service since 2022) - Image may be NSFW.
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6 3,000-ton Ocean-Going Patrol Ships [Will be delivered between 2026 and 2032]
Aircraft
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6-12 Maritime Surveillance Aircraft [Planned]
Helicopters
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8 Search And Rescue And Environmental Protection Helicopters [Planned]
[1] Flawed But Commendable: Germany’s Ringtausch Programme https://www.oryxspioenkop.com/2022/09/flawed-but-commendable-germanys.html
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