UpMedia in Taiwan reports that Taipei was given the green light last year to purchase the Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB). However, Washington told Taipei that the current policy was to prioritize the delivery of this weapon to Ukraine and that production has just started. Thus, Taiwan will only be able to receive the GLSDB three years later.
The GLSDB is a collaboration between the Boeing and the Sweden’s SAAB, integrating the standard M26 rocket body with the GBU-39 small-caliber bomb developed by Boeing, weighing about 270 kilograms, and can be launched by the M142 and M270 multiple rocket systems.
Taiwan has bought a total of 29 M142 HIMARS multiple rocket system with 11 sets being delivered in 2024. The rest will be delivered in 2027. Taiwan’s army had concluded that the precision rockets fired from the HIMARS can only hit People’s Liberation Army (PLA) amphibious assault fleet in the middle of the Taiwan Straits. With the GLSDB, those vessels will come under attack from Taiwan once they are underway from the east coast of China.
In the meantime, the Army will continue to build its case for acquiring the GLSDB and once the U.S. is ready to sell the weapon to Taiwan, it will put up a budget request to buy the weapon.
For more information, hit the Source below