How Volcano Anti-Tank System Will Be Used by Taiwan in China Invasion

The Biden administration has approved the sale of a rapid mine-laying system to Taiwan in a deal worth an estimated $180 million, the U.S. Department of Defense said on Wednesday.

The Volcano munition-laying system can disperse anti-armor and anti-personnel mines over a large area within minutes. The weapons package, which is still to be rubber-stamped by Congress, will include M87A1 anti-tank munitions, dummy and test rounds, as well as the M977A4 HEMTT 10-ton cargo trucks on which the system is mounted, according to a statement by the Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency.

Taipei seeks 14 Volcano mine-laying systems and delivered a procurement request to the United States in January, Taiwan's semi-official Central News Agency said. Training, logistics and technical support were also included in the deal, according to the DSCA.

Northrop Grumman and Oshkosh Corporation, manufacturers of the munitions and trucks, respectively, are the prime contractors.

The canister-launched mines can be scattered by ground vehicles or helicopters. The vehicle-borne version Taiwan is eyeing, known as Ground Volcano, fits the bill of weapons Washington says Taipei needs to deter or repel a potential Chinese attack.

China claims Taiwan as its own and refuses to renounce the option to one day take the island by force. Taipei and the vast majority of the Taiwanese public reject Beijing's sovereignty claims.

The Volcano anti-tank system could be deployed to mine the few beaches in Taiwan suitable for an amphibious landing. Security analyst estimate around a dozen such locations, the biggest of which also are well defended.

The mines themselves are defensive in nature and would delay rather than defeat an enemy advance, analyses suggest. They can be used to protect the perimeters of friendly forces from potential ambushes, too.

The Volcano systems would serve as one level of Taiwan's layered defense strategy, which includes placing naval mines in the Taiwan Strait before an invasion begins. For this purpose, Taipei commissioned four Min Jiang-class fast minelayer boats between August 2020 and December 2021.

In a statement to the press, Taiwan's defense ministry thanked the U.S. for approving the Volcano systems, which it said would "enhance the asymmetric warfare capabilities of our armed forces."

"The Chinese Communist Party's frequent military activities near Taiwan pose severe military threats," said the ministry, which expects the sale to take place in a month.

In a tweet, President Tsai Ing-wen said: "Thank you to the #US for approving a new arms sale to #Taiwan. Enhancing our military capabilities is key to safeguarding our democratic way of life & regional peace & stability."

Defense planners in Washington want Taipei to invest more in more asymmetric weaponry—small, highly mobile and lethal systems that can target the vulnerabilities of an invading force—used to great effect by Ukraine against Russia.

Wednesday's sale was the eighth arms package approved for Taiwan under President Joe Biden and the second this month. U.S. law requires the executive branch to notify Congress of certain arms sales, but the notification typically comes after lawmakers have already given informal approval.

It was unclear when Taiwan could expect to take delivery of the Volcano systems, but the island hopes to deploy them by 2024.

"The proposed sale will improve the recipient's capability to meet current and future threats by providing a credible force capable of deterring adversaries and participating in regional operations," said the DSCA. "The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region."

Newsweek reached out to China's foreign ministry for comment.

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