What's happened
Taiwan is set to receive a record volume of military shipments in 2025, including US arms and domestically produced weapons, to bolster its defenses against Beijing. Delays persist in some high-profile systems, but overall deliveries are progressing, with a focus on modernizing Taiwan’s military capabilities.
What's behind the headline?
The current arms buildup reflects Taiwan’s strategic priority to deter Chinese aggression through rapid military modernization. The delays in key systems like the AGM-154C glide bomb and F-16V fighters reveal ongoing supply chain and testing challenges, yet the overall trend shows accelerated deliveries, especially of missile systems and drones. The US’s reliance on foreign supply chains, particularly for rare earth elements critical to advanced weapons, exposes vulnerabilities that China’s dominance in rare earth processing could exacerbate. This dependency risks delaying future upgrades and undermining Taiwan’s military readiness. The expansion of Taiwan’s overseas presence to monitor production and verify quality indicates a strategic shift towards self-reliance and resilience. The story underscores the importance of supply chain security and technological sovereignty in modern military competition, with Taiwan positioning itself as a key player in regional security. The ongoing delays and bottlenecks suggest that while Taiwan’s military buildup is robust, it remains vulnerable to external disruptions, which could influence the balance of power in East Asia over the coming years.
What the papers say
The South China Morning Post provides a detailed overview of Taiwan’s arms procurement, emphasizing the record volume of shipments and the mix of delays and accelerated deliveries. The article highlights specific systems like the AGM-154C glide bomb and F-16V fighters, illustrating the logistical challenges faced. The report also notes Taiwan’s domestic weapons development and overseas monitoring efforts.
The article from Business Insider UK offers insight into the delays affecting the F-35 program, with an emphasis on the impact of the Technology Refresh 3 upgrades and the broader cost overruns. It underscores how delays in the F-35’s modernization, driven by supply chain issues and reliance on rare earth elements, could weaken US and allied military capabilities. The contrast between Taiwan’s rapid procurement and the US’s ongoing upgrade delays highlights differing strategic priorities and vulnerabilities.
The Bloomberg report further critiques the effectiveness of incentive structures in the US defense industry, revealing that Lockheed Martin’s bonuses have not sufficiently incentivized timely delivery of F-35s and engines. This critique underscores systemic issues in defense procurement that could impact Taiwan’s reliance on US systems, especially as supply chain disruptions and geopolitical tensions intensify.
How we got here
Recent reports highlight Taiwan’s efforts to strengthen its military amid increasing threats from China. The island has secured a significant backlog of US arms orders, with some systems delayed due to production bottlenecks. Meanwhile, Taiwan is also advancing its domestic weapons programs and expanding overseas military support to ensure timely delivery and integration.
Go deeper
Common question
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Why Are the F-35 Fighter Jets Facing Delays and Cost Overruns?
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Why Is Taiwan Receiving Record Military Shipments in 2025?
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Lockheed Martin Corporation is an American aerospace, defense, arms, security, and advanced technologies company with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It is headquartered in North