How Much Equipment Did the U.S. Deliver to the Republic of China Armed Forces in 2025?
Asia-Pacific , Ground
The United States in 2025 continued large scale deliveries of military equipment to modernise the inventories of the Republic of China Armed Forces, following a policy shift under the first Trump administration in 2019 to much more actively support military modernisation efforts. The status of the Republic of China government has left the U.S. as its only significant military supplier, with the government’s lack of international recognition or diplomatic relations with all but twelve minor countries leaving other arms producing countries unwilling to equip its forces. Although major delays to U.S. arms supplies have caused a major scandal in Taipei, with backlogs having exceeded $21 billion, the quantities of equipment delivered are nevertheless substantial.
The most significant procurement made in 2025 was that of M1A2 Abrams main battle tanks. After the first batch of 38 tanks were delivered in December 2024, a second batch of 42 tanks arrived in July 2025, allowing an armoured battalion to be formed equipped with the vehicles on October 31, 2025. This was assigned to the 3rd Combined Arms Battalion of the 584th Armoured Brigade, which is responsible for mobile counterattacks against landings by mainland Chinese forces, and for breakthroughs of possible encirclements. The Abrams’ high mobility as a result of its gas turbine engine makes it optimal for such roles, although its suitability for conditions on Taiwan Island remains in question, with its large, outstandingly high fuel requirements, and very limited ability to use local infrastructure being major limitations.
Alongside the M1A2, the only other major delivery made was of the first batch of RGM-84L-4 Harpoon Block II shore-based anti-ship missile systems, including five launch vehicles and one long-range search radar. Funding has been allocated to purchase 100 launchers and 400 RGM-84L-4 Block II missiles from the United States before 2031, although U.S. industry’s ability to deliver these on time has remained in question. The Harpoon has been in service for close to half a century since 1977, with even updated variants suffering from short ranges, subsonic speeds, and a lack of radar evading capabilities which make them relatively straightforward for modern air defence systems or fighters to intercept. A fleet of mobile launch vehicles and radar systems capable of supporting Harpoon missile launches remains at the core of the Republic of China Navy’s asymmetric anti-access area-denial strategy against the Chinese mainland.
By far the most controversial weapons systems supplied is the HIMARS rocket artillery system, the first 11 launchers from which were delivered in late 2024 and assigned to the 58th Artillery Command of the 10th Army Corps. The first live-fire exercise was conducted in southern Taiwan on May 12, 2025, and saw 33 rockets fired allowing the system to complete tactical verification. The formation of the first HIMARS rocket artillery company was held on July 4, 2025. A report by the Republic of China Ministry of National Defence tin November 2025 noted that the U.S. advanced the delivery date of the remaining 18 HIMARS from the originally scheduled 2027 to the fourth quarter of 2026. The system’s delivery has caused particular controversy due to its ability to deploy ATACMS ballistic missiles to strike targets far into the Chinese mainland, with a new arms sale approved in December expected to see 420 more of the missiles transferred to the Republic of China Armed Forces. The United States’ ballistic missile proliferation outside NATO has otherwise been limited.
While no HIMARS are known to have been delivered in 2025, delays to delivered of F-16 Block 70 fighters meant that only one fighter was handed over to the Republic of China Armed Forces in 2025, with a ceremony held in the United States in March to mark the occasion. The aircraft will be used for training, and will not reach Taiwan Island or enter service for the foreseeable future. With outstanding contracts stipulating that all 66 F-16 Block 70 fighters on order need to be delivered by the end of 2027, it remains in question whether even half this number will be delivered by that time. Responding to the delays, Premier Cho Jung-tai stated that Taipei did not rule out “taking legal action against the manufacturer,” but cautioned that the $8.2 billion contract to acquire F-16s was executed through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales process which provided no allowance for direct compensation claims.
The Republic of China government remains in a state of civli war with the internationally recognised People’s Republic of China government on the Chinese mainland, with both claiming to be the sole legitimate representatives of the Chinese nation. Equipping the Republic of China Armed Forces has thus provided a means for the United States to undermine the interests of the Chinese mainland, while also earning tens of billions of dollars in revenue for the American defence sector. With arms supplies to the Republic of China Armed Forces remaining limited, however, the balance of power in the Taiwan Strait has continued to rapidly shift to increasingly overwhelmingly favour the mainland. The Untied States has continued to deny Taipei permission to procure more advanced and sensitive military equipment such as F-35 fighter aircraft, both due to the political sensitivity of sales, and due to the significant risks that technologies will be passed on to the Chinese mainland either through defections or through espionage.
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Selling second hand out-of-date arms and making billions out of Taiwan's desperation - unscrupulous wankees.
Eastern Bully is watching and learning Western Bully’s special operation in Venezuela.
ReplyDeleteWhen the time comes to Rampas Taiwan perhaps the Type 004 carrier Taiwan will be off the coast of Taipei, special commandos will parachute in and kidnap the President and whisk him blindfolded to BJ, and charge him with separation treason. A puppet administrator for the Province of Taiwan will be installed until the entire provincial gomen falls in line with BJ.
Taiwanese will celebrate the reunification with joy. Glory to The Motherland.
that's yr wet dream lah!
DeleteWhen the time comes, instant elimination of the key echelon of 台毒 would be clean & sweeping.
Second hand ??? Where's your evidence ??
ReplyDeleteThis Military Watch shit sure doesn't prove it.
As for "out of date" the Harpoon has pretty sharp claws which your beloved CCP's ships will find out if they try to invade or blockade.
Himars is still feared by your fave S-Whole Putin's army.
wakakakaka… that's why u r a know-nothing military bluff.
DeleteMfer, check the list, then compare the model serial numbers.
Ooop… tak faham how the yank categorized its weaponry system!