Derek Grossman is a senior defense analyst at the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corp. He formerly served as an intelligence adviser at the Pentagon. Rus
sold Taiwan 66 F-16V fighter jets.Newly commissioned upgraded F-16V fighter jets at Air Force base in Chiayi in November 2021: Taipei prioritizes big-ticket items.The problem, however, is that Taipei also prioritizes big-ticket items that can sometimes detract from cheaper and more effective defenses.Last month, Taiwan’s new All-out Defense Mobilization Agency, part of the Ministry of National Defense (MND), issued a “war survival guide” that explained various crisis responses, like how to find bomb shelters as well as food and water via smartphones, and how to prepare first-aid kits.
Either way, the All-out Defense Mobilization Agency will probably look to upgrade reservist training and synchronization not only with the military but other Taiwanese ministries.Taiwan has also, per Wu’s first point, been investing in asymmetric defenses, whether anti-ship cruise missiles, sea mines, or surface-to-air missiles, for many years now.