Within days of authorizing fighter aircraft components, the current administration has confirmed an additional $700 million weapons sale to Taiwan featuring advanced air defense systems battle-tested in Ukraine. The rapid succession of approvals totaling $1 billion demonstrates accelerated American support for Taiwan’s defensive capabilities.
The centerpiece of the latest transaction is the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS), a medium-range defense platform manufactured by RTX that has proven effective against Russian aerial threats in Ukraine. Taiwan will become the third Indo-Pacific nation to deploy NASAMS, alongside Australia and Indonesia. The Pentagon contract to RTX covers three complete systems with work extending through February 2031, funded by nearly $699 million from fiscal year 2026 foreign military sales allocations for Taiwan.
American diplomatic representatives in Taiwan have issued strong public assurances about the permanence of security commitments. The senior American official in Taipei told business leaders that support for Taiwan is “rock solid” and will endure regardless of political changes. The official emphasized that this commitment manifests through expanding defense industrial cooperation, supporting Taiwan’s objective of maintaining peace through credible defensive strength.
The first deal of the week, approved just days earlier, authorized $330 million for fighter jet and aircraft parts. That transaction held particular significance as the administration’s first weapons sale to Taiwan since taking office in January. Combined, the two packages represent $1 billion in approved military equipment within a seven-day period, signaling robust engagement with Taiwan’s security needs and drawing immediate gratitude from Taipei while provoking predictable criticism from Beijing.
These confirmations occur amid deteriorating regional relations involving China, Taiwan, and Japan. Recent incidents include Chinese coast guard vessels operating near disputed East China Sea islands and Chinese drones flying through sensitive airspace, prompting Japanese military responses. Taiwan’s defense leadership has urged China to renounce military force in dispute resolution. China claims sovereignty over Taiwan, assertions that the island’s government firmly rejects. Chinese military forces maintain almost daily operations around Taiwan in what officials characterize as “grey zone” tactics designed to exhaust defensive resources. Taiwan pursues military modernization including indigenous submarine development to protect critical maritime routes. Despite lacking formal diplomatic ties, the United States maintains legal obligations to provide Taiwan with necessary defensive capabilities, consistently drawing Beijing’s opposition.
Trump Administration Approves Second Taiwan Weapons Package in Week, Totaling $1B
