Taiwan and the US launch joint production of 155mm artillery shells amid blockade fears
Island’s defence ministry says Ukraine war underscores urgency of securing sustained ammunition supply in event of armed conflict
Taiwan’s defence ministry on Monday said Taipei and Washington had launched early-stage joint production of a new type of 155mm howitzer ammunition.
Lieutenant General Lin Wen-hsiang, head of Taiwan’s Armaments Bureau, testified during a legislative session that the Ukraine war underscored the urgency of securing a sustained ammunition supply in the event of an armed conflict.
“For defence resilience and because the Ukraine war has demonstrated that 155mm howitzers are among the fastest-consumed artillery systems, we have already begun preliminary work with the United States, starting with joint production of 155mm howitzer ammunition,” Lin said.
“If successful, this will then be expanded to other weapons and munitions,” he added.
Details of the Taiwan-US arrangement remained classified, Lin said. He described the project as part of a broader push to enhance Taiwan’s “defence resilience”.