Taiwan plans US$850 million ammunition spend to prepare for potential PLA blockade

Taiwan’s military plans to spend more than NT$27 billion (US$850 million) to quadruple critical ammunition stocks to 120 days’ supply, strengthening its ability to sustain combat operations during a wartime blockade.

The proposed six-year “urgent ammunition replenishment” programme, running from this year until 2031, comes as Taipei seeks to strengthen its ability to keep fighting if a cross-strait conflict cuts external supply lines.

The spending proposal was revealed on September 26 and still requires legislative approval. The programme is expected to cost NT$27.59 billion, with NT$7.3 billion allocated this year through a supplementary budget. A further NT$7.3 billion is proposed for 2027 to accelerate procurement of various types of critical ammunition.

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Taiwan concludes annual war games, including preparing for PLA sea blockade

Lieutenant General Huang Wen-chi, the strategic planning director of Taiwan’s defence ministry, said this month that the military aimed to gradually increase its combat-ready ammunition stocks from the current 30 days to 120 days.

He said more frequent combat-readiness drills and exercises in recent years had also increased ammunition consumption, requiring stocks to be replenished more quickly.