U.S. to Sell $180 Million Anti-Tank Mining System to Taiwan

On December 28th, the U.S. Pentagon said that the U.S. State Council has approved a plan to sell the Volcano anti-tank mining system to Taiwan at a price of about $180 million. This is the second time the U.S. government has sold arms to Taiwan in a month, following December 6th and the 8th time the Biden administration has sold arms to Taiwan. The “volcano” anti-tank mining system is divided into two versions of air and land delivery; the Taiwan Army Command to the United States procurement is 14 sets of vehicle-mounted type “volcano” land mobile mining systems. For the vehicle version, the U.S. Army is implemented with the current M977 heavy mobile tactical truck, with high mobility, wide dispersion, less operators, fast operation, and other performance features, which can effectively shorten the blocking set-up time to achieve the purpose of mobile rapid mining, stalling enemy forces. In view of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)’s increased military, diplomatic, and economic pressure on Taiwan, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said in a statement that the arms sale is expected to take effect in a month’s time, adding that the weapon system will help enhance Taiwan’s “asymmetric combat capability” and allow Taiwan’s forces to respond quickly to the threat of hostilities. Based on the “Taiwan Relations Act” and the “Six guarantees,” the United States continues to provide defensive weapons to Taiwan, and is the basis for maintaining stability and peace in the Taiwan Strait.