Seeking to dispel rumors of alleged “Chinese interference” in the recent live-fire tests with its new M142 HIMARS acquired from the U.S., the Taiwanese Army has confirmed that the anomalies observed during them are to be attributed to problems in the software that equips the platforms’ fire control computers, which led to two failures during their use while the activity was underway. The news stems from what was stated by the Chief of the General Staff of the Taiwanese Army, Chen Chien-yi, who affirmed the above in response to inquiries from local legislators after the test results became known.
It is worth recalling that the force began testing its new launchers on May 12, specifically using the Jiupeng base in the Pingtung region as the setting. As reported by the institution, the activity served as an opportunity to carry out a total of 33 shots with its new M142 HIMARS systems, allowing the artillerymen to become familiar with their use while also sending a clear message regarding the deterrence capabilities of the island nation; with the focus clearly placed on China and its growing pressure on it.
It was in this context that the aforementioned anomalies arose, which, according to what was disclosed by the previously cited Army authority, consisted in the fire control computer displaying an error message at the moment the firing command was entered. In an attempt to solve it, the Taiwanese personnel followed a series of procedures already established by the U.S. Army that ultimately allowed the issue to be resolved, which in turn allowed the scheduled shots to continue.
That the matter was resolved in this way, in line with Chen’s statements, denotes that it was a problem already encountered on previous occasions by other users of the platform; and not an interference provoked by the Asian Giant as had been rumored. For the Taiwanese legislators, this was one of the main concerns looking to the future, taking into account that reports from the war in Ukraine indicated the possibility that the HIMARS systems used by Kyiv could be interfered with by Russian electronic warfare elements, causing the launches to be deficient in terms of accuracy.
Despite the latter, the institution clarified that although it was a sporadic problem with its launchers, the U.S. has already been informed in order to carry out a software update as soon as possible to prevent the recurrence of these problems. For the Taiwanese authorities, this should be enough to resolve the issue, considering that the platforms themselves are practically intact and therefore do not warrant a complete replacement. It should be noted at this point that Taipei acquired 29 new HIMARS launchers divided into two major batches, namely a first of 11 units and a second of 18 units; whose delivery schedule would have been brought forward to increase the island’s defense capabilities.
*Image credits: @MoNDefense on X
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