The U.S. Armed Forces have gained new authority to coordinate the Republic of China Armed Forces’ ballistic and cruise missile arsenals, with the institution of aJoint Firepower Coordination Centre by the Republic of China Ministry of Nationwide Defence seeing U.S. personnel completely stationed on the facility in Taipei to supervise planning and potential use of native missile forces. Analysts have famous that institution of the centre, which gives “U.S. help and supervision” when utilizing the arsenal, permits the Republic of China Armed Forces to obtain intelligence from the U.S. Joint Digital Firepower System, and for U.S. forces to pick out targets and finalising assault plans collectively with native forces. The institution of the centre has occurred as america has accredited transfers of tons of of ballistic missiles to the Republic of China Armed Forces, and has change into more and more immediately concerned in workouts and defence planning throughout a variety of areas.
Indicators of the U.S. Armed Forces’ presence on Taiwan Island have change into more and more conspicuous. When the Republic of China Ministry of Nationwide Defence in February 2025 performed a high-level Han Kuang 41 army simulation workouts, the undersecretary of the Joint Forces Command of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Main Normal Jay Bargeron sat subsequent to Defence Minister Wellington Koo. A number of different U.S. army officers have been seen scattered all through the venue. Visits by U.S. army personnel to coaching amenities are reported to have change into more and more commonplace. United States personnel on Taiwan island, apart from these from the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) resident safety cooperation and liaison teams, together with these from the Particular Operations Cooperation Group or the Indo-Pacific Command, are all reported as being current on “enterprise journeys,” rotating each six months, somewhat than being completely stationed there.
The buildup of the Republic of China Armed Forces’ ballistic and cruise missile arsenals, and the flexibility to collectively plan focusing on, is a serious asset for america, and permits Washington to plan for the focusing on of strategically vital targets on the Chinese language mainland. This might embody key infrastructure similar to hydroelectric dams, analysis centres, main civilian and army manufacturing amenities, and doubtlessly management targets. Strikes on unlawful targets similar to dams, and assaults inflicting mass civilian casualties, might be performed with room for america to assert it was not culpable because the assaults have been technically launched by the Republic of China Armed Forces. Key Chinese language companies in vital industries which america has tried to stifle utilizing financial sanctions, from 5G to semiconductors, is also focused on to set again progress in keeping with Washington’s pursuits.
The flexibility to strike vital targets by proxy notably mirrors the state of affairs in Ukraine, the place U.S. and European advisors on the bottom have performed a central function in equipping Ukrainain forces, deciding on their targets, and launching ballistic and cruise missile strikes. This has prolonged to help with inputting focusing on coordinates earlier than firing, with targets starting from key army amenities, to vital infrastructure associated to the Russian oil trade. These operations set a powerful precedent for the Taiwan Strait. The a lot better variety of excessive worth targets on the Chinese language mainland, nevertheless, makes the flexibility to plan for big scale assaults by proxy within the Taiwan Strait considerably extra useful.
The Joint Firepower Coordination Middle is positioned within the auditorium of the Dazhi Army Camp in Taipei, the place the annual Han Kuang Train computer-based warfare sport is performed. This house was beforehand used for post-Han Kuang warfare sport assessment conferences, and was transformed right into a firepower coordination centre in 2025.Unconfirmed studies point out that an digital clock had been hung prominently within the centre, counting right down to January 1, 2027 – a date Western analysts have extensively claimed would mark the start of a widow of potential hostilities within the Taiwan Strait. Associated personnel have repeatedly witnessed U.S. army and civilian personnel coming into and leaving this firepower coordination centre, working collectively with the Republic of China Ministry of Nationwide Defence and the Normal Workers. Some studies point out a spike in exercise through the latest Chinese language Folks’s Liberation Army workouts surrounding the Taiwan Strait in December.
The Republic of China primarily based in Taipei claims to be the only real legit authorities of the Chinese language nation, putting it a state of civil warfare with the Folks’s Republic of China authorities primarily based in Beijing .Its lack of worldwide recognition has made arms transfers, significantly of excessive impression methods similar to ballistic missiles, extremely controversial. In December 2025 america Division of Warfare accredited a $11.1 billion arms sale that included the switch of 420 ballistic missiles from the MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) to the Republic of China Armed Forces. The primary batch of 11 launchers for HIMARS artillery methods, which may accommodate these missiles, was delivered in November 2024, whereas the primary items was shaped in early July 2025. The ATACMS has been extensively fight examined within the Ukrainain theatre, and gained notable success when utilised for strikes each in opposition to key infrastructure and in opposition to Russian air defence methods. With the system being closely reliant on satellite tv for pc steering to launch precision strikes, which is a vulnerability Russian forces have at occasions exploited utilizing digital warfare, the system’s effectiveness in opposition to the Chinese language mainland’s far more superior digital air air defences stays unsure.
