US Himars ammunition shortfalls raise stakes for Taiwan Strait conflict

October 1, 2026 at 07:00 PM1 min

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Taiwan is set to receive all 29 Himars systems from its initial orders by the end of this year, with another 82 approved for purchase, bringing the planned total to 111. The real question, however, is ammunition, as a potential Taiwan Strait conflict could see crossfire between the US-made Himars and China's PHL-16 rocket systems.

Key Facts

Taiwan is set to receive all 29 Himars systems from its initial orders by the end of this year.
Another 82 Himars systems were approved for purchase in a follow-on deal, bringing the planned total to 111.
A potential Taiwan Strait conflict could see crossfire between the US-made Himars and China's PHL-16, also known as the PCL-191.
The real question, however, is ammunition.

Taiwan's Himars Arsenal

Taiwan is set to receive all 29 Himars systems from its initial orders by the end of this year. Another 82 systems were approved for purchase in a follow-on deal, bringing the planned total to 111. This does not include the US military's Himars systems already deployed in the region.

Ammunition Shortfalls

The real question, however, is ammunition. A potential conflict in the Taiwan Strait could see crossfire exchanged between the US-made Himars and its mainland Chinese counterpart, the PHL-16, also known as the PCL-191.