Taiwan has publicly shown images of an AGM-114 Hellfire missile system installed on a civil truck, reporting the country’s investment in mobile, discrete and highly mobile platforms to counter a possible Chinese amphibious attack.
The video published by the Ministry of National Defense of Taiwan shows an apparently ordinary commercial van equipped with a hidden pitcher and a retractable mastiff who bends on the roof of the vehicle, making him practically indistinguishable from civil traffic.
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Although the Taipei authorities have not revealed how many of these units are operational or if they are part of a wider secret program, local military analysts say that the system is ideal for operating on coastal roads and in urban areas, moving stealthily until the time of launch.
The pitcher can be quickly deployed to engage in landing boats, amphibian vehicles and other surface threats, thanks to integrated electro-optical and infrared sensors that allow the detection and acquisition of the targets independently, without the need for external data. Once the attack is completed, the system closes the pitcher and returns to camouflage, making the enemy detection difficult.
The initiative follows the defense strategy of Taiwan, which favors mobile systems, survivors and low signature to face higher forces, exploiting the mountainous geography and the high urban density of the territory.
The experts compare the platform to improvised solutions already seen in recent conflicts, such as the war in Ukraine, where Bimstone missiles were launched by not armored trucks against Russian forces. This type of adaptation offers high low -cost fire power and reduced vulnerability to preventive attacks.
Source and images: Ministry of National Defense of Taiwan (Roc). This content was created with the help of the AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
