Drawing directly from the lessons of the war in Europe, the United States has confirmed a $700 million agreement to supply Taiwan with the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS). This system has earned a formidable reputation in Ukraine, where it has been instrumental in neutralizing Russian missile and drone attacks. By exporting this specific “battle-tested” capability to Taiwan, Washington is signaling a strategic shift, prioritizing the island’s access to high-performance weaponry that has proven itself in modern, high-intensity conflict.
The deal is part of a larger $1 billion defense surge approved by the US this week, which also includes a $330 million package for fighter jet support. The Pentagon’s announcement specifies that defense contractor RTX (formerly Raytheon) will handle the production under a firm fixed-price contract. While the immediate need is acute, the timeline is strategic; the work is scheduled for completion in February 2031. This ensures a sustained pipeline of advanced defense technology to the island, funded by fiscal 2026 foreign military sales allocations.
For Taiwan, the arrival of NASAMS addresses a critical vulnerability. The Chinese military engages in daily “grey zone” operations—coercive activities that fall short of war—aimed at exhausting Taiwan’s air defenses. The NASAMS, capable of targeting cruise missiles, helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), offers a flexible and automated solution to these threats. Taiwan now joins Australia and Indonesia as the only operators of this system in the Indo-Pacific, creating a belt of interoperable air defense among US partners.
The political ramifications are stark. US Representative Raymond Greene described the American commitment to Taiwan as “rock solid” during a recent address to the American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei. Greene emphasized that the US is backing its diplomatic words with “growing defense industrial cooperation,” effectively turning Taiwan into a fortress of “peace through strength.” This stance has predictably angered Beijing, which views the island as a breakaway province and demands the cessation of US arms sales.
Amidst this transaction, regional tensions are boiling over. Japan recently scrambled jets after a Chinese drone flew near Yonaguni island, and Chinese coast guard vessels have encroached on Japanese waters. Taiwan’s Defense Minister Wellington Koo has seized on these events to call for de-escalation, urging China to “abandon its thinking of using force.” Yet, with the purchase of the Ukraine-tested NASAMS, Taiwan is clearly preparing for the possibility that China will not listen.