Taiwan military drills with HIMARS, Thunder 2000 rocket systems

Taiwan's military has intensified its "immediate readiness drills" to counter evolving enemy threats and battlefield dynamics. The exercises rigorously test units' ability to quickly mobilize, preserve combat power, and prepare for engagement upon receiving orders.

During a recent drill on June 24, Taiwan's Fifth Theater Command deployed its HIMARS multiple rocket systems. Soldiers moved their vehicles from barracks to strategic positions, practicing camouflage and engagement procedures. This demonstrated the long-range artillery units' capacity for rapid response and sustained combat operations in simulated high-threat scenarios.

The domestically produced Thunder 2000 multiple rocket system also participated in tactical maneuvers later that day. Conducted under "real troops, real ground, real time, real equipment, real practice" conditions, the exercise honed soldiers' ability to adapt to battlefield emergencies and enhanced the forces' combat readiness and fire support effectiveness.

While both the U.S.-procured HIMARS and the indigenous Thunder 2000 are multiple rocket systems, they serve distinct roles. HIMARS offers high mobility, precision strikes, and rapid deployment, capable of targeting high-value assets with guided rockets up to 70 kilometers away or short-range ballistic missiles up to 300 kilometers. The Thunder 2000 focuses on area suppression and coastal defense, capable of launching up to 60 rockets with a 15-kilometer range, covering an area equivalent to six football fields. It can also utilize rockets with 30 or 45-kilometer ranges for intense fire support against enemy landing craft and assembly areas during anti-landing operations.

Together, these systems provide Taiwan's military with a dual capability for both precision strikes and wide-area suppression, enhancing its overall defensive posture.