(12 May 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Pingtung, Taiwan – 12 May 2025
1. Wide of army fired U.S. made HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) artillery rockets during a live-fire drill in Pingtung
2. Various of HIMARS rockets fired from trucks
3. Mid of rocket trucks moving inside the base
4. Close-up a monkey on a tree during the drill
5. Wide of trucks moving inside the base
6. Wide of Deputy Commander Ho Chi-chung speaking to journalists
7. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin) Ho Chi-chung, Deputy Commander of the Army’s 58th Artillery Command:
"I believe that through this rocket artillery exercise, we can demonstrate to our citizens the determination of our soldiers to defend national security and protect our homeland."
8. Mid of rocket firing
9. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin) Ho Chi-chung, Deputy Commander of the Army’s 58th Artillery Command:
"This is our rocket battalion’s first time firing HIMARS rockets, so the American manufacturer’s technical personnel provided safety assistance and technical guidance during this exercise."
10. Various of rockets fired from rocket launchers
11. Wide of photographer taking pictures of the rocket launch
STORYLINE:
Taiwan’s Army successfully fired U.S.-made High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) rockets for the first time during a live-fire exercise held on Monday at the Jiupeng Base in Pingtung County.
Ho Chi-chung, Deputy Commander of the Army’s 58th Artillery Command, said the exercise showcased the military’s commitment to safeguarding Taiwan’s security.
“I believe that through this rocket artillery exercise, we can demonstrate to our citizens the determination of our soldiers to defend national security and protect our homeland,” Ho said during a briefing.
Ho noted technical personnel from the American manufacturer were present to provide safety assistance and technical guidance throughout the exercise.
Taiwan purchased 29 HIMARS launchers from the United States as part of its efforts to bolster long-range firepower amid growing military pressure from China.
The first shipment, consisting of 11 HIMARS launchers and two training simulators, arrived last year.
According to the Ministry of National Defense, Taiwan’s procurement package includes 864 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) precision rockets — specifically the M30 and M31 GPS-guided variants — each with a range of up to 94 kilometers.
Each HIMARS launcher can fire six GMLRS rockets.
Additionally, Taiwan has acquired 84 Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS), specifically the MGM-140 models, capable of striking targets up to 300 kilometers away.
Each launcher can carry one ATACMS missile.
The Ministry emphasized that the integration of HIMARS into Taiwan’s armed forces will significantly enhance the nation’s ability to deter and, if necessary, respond to external threats.
AP video by Johnson Lai
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