Since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the United States sent hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of weaponry to the Ukrainians. Things like Javelin anti-tank missiles and HIMARS rockets. Now, as China seems poised to launch an invasion of Taiwan, some are concerned that the U.S. might not have enough weapons to help the self-governing island defend itself.
Defending Taiwan is a vastly different undertaking from U.S. efforts with Ukraine. Unlike in Ukraine, where Russia could assemble troops along the border before invading, the Chinese would have to cross 100 miles of open ocean to launch an assault. There hasn’t been an amphibious assault on such a scale since the Korean War.
Preventing the Chinese from establishing a beachhead would be critical to defending the island. If the Chinese succeeded in establishing a footing and is able to transport troops and weapons to the island, the battle is probably over.
The U.S. is currently helping Taiwan upgrade an early warning radar system, and sending Sidewinder and Harpoon Block II missiles. Harpoons are great at sinking enemy ships.
If China were to invade, resupplying Taiwan might not be possible. Military experts say the invasion goes hand-in-hand with a blockade, which would prevent resupply by sea. And the Chinese Air Force would certainly contest the skies. So, Taiwan needs to be a fortress capable of withstanding a prolonged siege.
Helping Taiwan defend itself from China will be a long-term endeavor, but it’s not entirely unexpected. According to the recently released U.S. National Defense Strategy, while Russia poses an immediate and acute threat to national security, China remains the greatest long-term challenge.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in the report that China is the only competitor “with both the intent to reshape the international order, and increasingly the power to do so.”
