How ‘MacGyver’ magic can get Taiwan its Harpoon defenses faster

Excerpt

The Pentagon has a problem. The Defense Department report last month on the Chinese military makes clear that Beijing is sprinting to develop the means it would need to conquer Taiwan. Unfortunately, many of the weapons Washington is sending to help Taipei deter or defeat that aggression are not scheduled to arrive anytime soon.

The Harpoon coastal defense system and the missiles it fires are a good example. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced in October 2020 the decision to approve a $2.37 billion sale to Taiwan of 100 of the delivery systems as well as 400 Harpoon Block II surface-launched missiles. These systems would provide Taiwan a “highly reliable and effective system to counter or deter maritime aggressions, coastal blockades, and amphibious assaults,” DSCA noted.

Unfortunately, due to insufficient production capacity, the lack of a contract between the U.S. Navy and Taiwan, and unacceptable continued delays associated with foreign military sales, the Harpoon shipment to Taiwan will not be complete until long after 2027.

Many worry that the People’s Republic of China could launch military aggression against Taiwan before then. The good news is that there are ways to expedite both the delivery of the system and the Harpoon missiles.