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Taiwan, whose sovereignty China does not recognize, has always been a geopolitical hotspot. Yet for seven decades, the Taiwan situation held mostly stable – in part, on account of China’s weakness, and in part, on account of the United States’s strategic ambiguity. Now, however, both of those stabilizing factors are changing. China, converting its latent power into actual power , is building one of the world’s most awesome militaries. 

Relatedly, China is becoming more and more adventurous, expanding its presence across Asia (with the Belt & Road Initiative ), Africa, and Latin America, and asserting itself with increasingly brazen territorial claims in the East China Sea, South China Sea, and especially, over Taiwan itself. The U.S., effectively deploying strategic ambiguity to keep China guessing, helped deter China from invading Taiwan – without provoking China. However, the U.S.’s Taiwan policy has become muddled of late– especially as a result of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s recent trip to Taiwan, which left China sharply antagonized.  

While a Chinese invasion of Taiwan is unlikely to be imminent, the specter of such an assault looms, leaving Taiwan to take stock of its needs and capabilities. In a conflict with China, the fight would come to Taiwan – and the island nation would be severely outgunned – making symmetrical war a hopeless prospect. Regardless, Taiwan has vowed to defend itself. To that end, “the Biden administration is quietly pressing the Taiwanese government to order American-made weapons that would help its small military repel a seaborne invasion by China rather than weapons designed for conventional set-piece warfare,” The New York Times reported .  

The U.S. is hoping to impart wisdom gained from the Russo-Ukraine War to Taiwan. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine suggests “that a smaller military with the right weapons that has adopted a strategy of asymmetric warfare, in which it focuses on mobility and precision attacks, can beat back a larger foe.”

Here are some of the weapons systems Taiwan would benefit from purchasing.

The U.S. has been encouraging Taiwan to stock up on Stinger missiles. The Stinger is an American-made, portable air-defense system, or MANPADS. The Stinger relies upon an infrared homing surface-to-air missile and can be adjusted to fire from a soldier, a variety of ground vehicles – or even a helicopter. In Ukraine, the Stinger has proven itself as a valuable weapon system; the U.S. reported that NATO allies had sent over 2,000 stinger missiles to Ukraine – which have been used to great effect in thwarting aging Russian armored vehicles. Taiwan would benefit similarly from having an inventory of Stinger missiles.      MEDITERRANEAN SEA (March 23, 2018) U.S. Marines with Marine Air Control Group (MACG) 28 Low Altitude Air Defense (LAAD) Detachment, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 162 (Reinforced), 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), fire a Stinger trainer missile at a Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier during a Stinger Trainer Launch Simulator (STLS) shoot aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) in the Mediterranean Sea, March 23, 2018. Iwo Jima and the 26th MEU are conducting naval operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Sylvia L. Tapia/Released)

MEDITERRANEAN SEA (March 23, 2018) U.S. Marines with Marine Air Control Group (MACG) 28 Low Altitude Air Defense (LAAD) Detachment, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 162 (Reinforced), 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), fire a Stinger trainer missile at a Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier during a Stinger Trainer Launch Simulator (STLS) shoot aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) in the Mediterranean Sea, March 23, 2018. Iwo Jima and the 26th MEU are conducting naval operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Sylvia L. Tapia/Released)

The FGM-148 Javelin, or Advanced Anti-Tank Weapon System, is an American-made portable anti-tank missile system. The Javelin was designed, very specifically, for use against tanks and armored vehicles. Super easy to use, the Javelin is a “fire-and-forget” system that relies on infrared guidance to track targets,  allowing the soldier who fires the weapon to seek cover immediately while the weapon is still in-flight to its target.  Javelin anti-tank missile. Image Credit: YouTube Screenshot.

Javelin anti-tank missile. Image Credit: YouTube Screenshot.

Delivering a high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead, the Javelin has proven effective, whether operating in direct attack or top attack mode. The Javen has proven itself especially useful on the battlefields of Ukraine, against invading Russian armored columns. NATO has provided thousands of Javelin systems to Ukraine, which relatively untrained operators have been able to fire with fantastic accuracy. Taiwan would benefit from having Javelin systems to meet Chinese tanks on the ground.  

Taiwan, an island nation, will need to shore up its maritime security. The Harpoon all-weather, over-the-horizon, anti-ship missile would certainly help. The Harpoon relies on active radar homing to fly just above the waterline – evading defenses in the process. Launched from either the air, surface, or submarine, the Harpoon is versatile and deadly. Some variants have a range in excess of 150 miles. The weapon would be well suited to hampering the Chinese advance across the Taiwan Strait.    A view of an RGM-84 surface-to-surface Harpoon missile, immediately after leaving a canister launcher aboard the cruiser USS LEAHY (CG-16), near the Pacific Missile Test Center, Calif.

A view of an RGM-84 surface-to-surface Harpoon missile, immediately after leaving a canister launcher aboard the cruiser USS LEAHY (CG-16), near the Pacific Missile Test Center, Calif.

The AeroVironment Switchblade drone, which comes in two variants, has been turning heads in Ukraine. The “loitering munition” or “kamikaze” drone has proven especially effective against Russian forces. The Switchblade, once launched, is unrecoverable. It ends its mission in an explosion. With a range of 6.2 miles and a window of just 10 minutes, operators do not have much time to guide the Switchblade to its target. Yet, the Switchblade is effective, with its Claymore mine-sized warhead and C-4 explosives matched with hundreds of small metal ball bearings. The Switchblade is best used against enemy troops and light armored vehicles.  Switchblade Drone. Image Credit: Industry Handout.

Switchblade Drone. Image Credit: Industry Handout.

Taiwan will need to prevent China from gaining air superiority – and will need to thwart Chinese missile strikes. While fighter jets can help maintain air superiority, or at least air neutrality, surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) are especially effective. The PAC-3 is an exemplary SAM system, an upgrade to the proven Patriot missile defense system. With a range of 43 miles, the Raytheon-made PAC-3 is an air-defense, guided missile designed to counter tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and advanced aircraft. The PAC-3 uses “hit-to-kill” technology.    Image: Creative Commons.

Harrison Kass is the Senior Defense Editor at 19FortyFive. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, he joined the US Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. He lives in Oregon and listens to Dokken. Follow him on Twitter @harrison_kass.

Harrison Kass is a Senior Defense Editor at 19FortyFive. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, he joined the US Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison has degrees from Lake Forest College, the University of Oregon School of Law, and New York University’s Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. He lives in Oregon and regularly listens to Dokken.

Sloopy article. You state that the stinger is used to great effect in thwarting aging Russian armored vehicles. The stinger is a ground to air weapon used against aircraft.

War between the two would actually be a proxy war between US and china.

Thus china needs to employ US-killing weapons against the tiny island.

Meaning, all military installations on the tiny islands MUST be pulverized completely (reduced to nothingness) in the first few hours of military action.

When that’s achieved, GAME OVER.

That’s how ya fight a war with US (like how allies fought the fascist powers in WW2).

Thus, in a nutshell, fightin’ Taiwan must be viewed as fightin’ US. Go for the jugular ! ! !

How to go for the jugular when actually at war with US. EASY-PEASY. Develop ultra-modern full-fledged FOBS and deploy permanently orbiting space assets like spaceplanes & space gliders that secretly carry kinetic and/or thermo warheads.

This will not be a case of the remnants of the old Soviet Union, duking it out old school, with a few smart weapons thrown in to balance the fight. Taiwan produces most of the world’s computer chips, and has been preparing for a Communist amphibious attack since day 1. While their purchases of weapons have been subject to the political winds, they have still managed to accumulate a lot of smart weapons, and make many of their own. They have dug aircraft hangers into the mountains, and produced missiles that can hit Beijing.

1,200+ anti-ship missiles that can range the entire China Sea is the pièce de résistance. What they will do to the Communist surface fleet (300+ ships) is of great curiosity. It only took 2 to sink the 13,000 ton Moskva.

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