The United States has notified Congress of an $11.1 billion arms package for Taiwan that includes HIMARS rocket launchers, howitzers, anti-tank and anti‑armor missiles, loitering suicide drones, military software and spare parts. Five of the eight items are expected to be financed through Taiwan’s proposed $40 billion special defense budget. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency issued the notifications; congressional approval is required and bipartisan support exists. Beijing has typically protested such sales, and Taiwan aims to boost defense spending to strengthen deterrence and asymmetric capabilities.
US Notifies Congress Of $11.1 Billion Arms Package For Taiwan — HIMARS, Howitzers And Loitering Suicide Drones
Soldiers of the 58th Artillery Command mobolize the HIMARS missile system to a tactical position, as part of the ongoing Han Kuang military exercise, in Taichung, Taiwan, on July 12, 2025. - Daniel Ceng/Anadolu/Getty Images
The United States and Taiwan have announced an $11.1 billion arms package that, if finalized, would rank among Washington’s largest military sales to the island in recent years. The notification was released through the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) and covers eight separate purchase notifications for weapons, systems and spare parts.
What the Package Includes
The eight notifications include: HIMARS rocket launchers, howitzers, anti-tank and anti-armor missiles, loitering (suicide) drones, military software and various spare parts. Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said five of these items — including HIMARS, multiple missile types and drones — are intended to be funded under a proposed $40 billion special defense budget submitted by President Lai Ching‑te in late November.
Purpose And Strategic Context
“The United States… continues to assist Taiwan in maintaining sufficient self‑defense capabilities and in rapidly building strong deterrence and leveraging asymmetric warfare advantages, which form the foundation for maintaining regional peace and stability,” Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said in a statement.
“Every budget issue has to go through the legislative process, but I remain very confident that at the end of the day, that all the parties in Taiwan will come together on behalf of increased defense spending,”
said Raymond Greene, director of the American Institute in Taiwan, Washington’s de facto embassy on the island.
Taiwan has accelerated defense procurement amid rising pressure from Beijing. The People’s Liberation Army now conducts near-daily air and naval activity around Taiwan and frequently stages large-scale exercises in nearby waters and airspace.
Process, Past Sales And Reactions
The DSCA formalized the notifications, but the transactions still require approval from the U.S. Congress, where support for Taiwan is broadly bipartisan. A U.S. official noted that since 2010 the Executive Branch has notified Congress of roughly $49 billion in Foreign Military Sales to Taiwan.
Beijing had not immediately responded to the latest announcement; however, past U.S. arms sales to Taipei have routinely drawn strong objections from China, which regards Taiwan as part of its territory.
This $11.1 billion notification is the second publicly announced arms package to Taiwan under the current U.S. administration, following a roughly $330 million sale in November for aircraft spare and repair parts. At that time, Taiwanese officials said they plan to raise defense spending to more than 3% of GDP within a year and to roughly 5% of GDP by 2030.
What Comes Next
If approved by Congress and Taiwan’s legislature (for portions tied to the special budget), the sales would support Taipei’s push to strengthen precision strike, air and missile defenses, anti-armor capabilities, drones and counter-drone systems, and other asymmetric tools intended to deter aggression and reinforce regional stability.
