With a burst of flame and a thunderous boom that shattered the calm of the training area in the foothills of Japan's Mount Fuji, the first rocket fired by U.S. Marines from their mobile launcher streaked toward its target, leaving an orange trail across the blue sky. Five more rockets followed in quick succession before a second HIMARS truck emerged from a concealed position in a grove of evergreens, launched its salvo of six rockets, and retreated back into cover.
Live-Fire Exercise Demonstrates Capabilities
The live-fire exercise this week at Camp Fuji's east maneuver area lasted only a few minutes but was a significant demonstration to Pacific allies of American capabilities as Washington seeks to deter possible Chinese aggression against Taiwan. Beijing claims the self-governing democracy as its own and has not ruled out taking it by force.
Deterrence Through Strength
The exercise also highlighted how the U.S. has shifted tactics in the Pacific, driven by the rapid modernization of China's military. Euan Graham, a senior defense analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, noted that the U.S. would not rely solely on traditional aircraft carrier-based attack wings. He pointed to conflicts in Iran, where over 40 U.S. aircraft were destroyed or damaged by a less capable adversary, emphasizing the vulnerability of such assets against China. This explains the U.S. emphasis on smaller, mobile units.
According to the Pentagon's latest annual report to Congress, the goal is to 'deny the ability of any country in the Indo-Pacific to dominate us or our allies,' prioritizing deterrence 'through strength, not confrontation.'
Mobility Key in Modern Warfare
The HIMARS, or High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, is a truck-mounted pod of rockets that can be hidden from drone or satellite surveillance. It can drive out to fire GPS-guided missiles and quickly return to a new hidden position using 'shoot-and-scoot' tactics. Sgt. Kevin Alvarez, section chief of one of the two HIMARS units involved, said the process can take as little as two to four minutes.
Introduced about 20 years ago, the HIMARS saw use in Iraq and Afghanistan but gained public attention when Ukraine used it effectively against Russia. These conflicts, especially with the proliferation of drones on the battlefield, have underscored the value of mobility, said Lt. Col. Ryan Anness, commander of the 3rd Battalion. 'They're much quicker, faster, and easier to hide than traditional cannon artillery,' he said.
Extended Range Capabilities
The HIMARS can fire a variety of missiles, including the ATACMS with a range of about 300 kilometers (180 miles). More recently, it has been equipped with the longer-range Precision Strike Missile (PrSM), capable of reaching targets over 500 kilometers (310 miles), according to manufacturer Lockheed Martin. In the first days of the war against Iran, the HIMARS fired both ATACMS and PrSM, sinking multiple Iranian surface ships and a submarine.
Combined with the Army's Typhon system, which launches longer-range Tomahawk missiles but is less maneuverable, these systems could cover the Taiwan Strait and the strategically important Luzon Strait if deployed on Taiwan and nearby islands, Graham said. Both waterways are critical to any Chinese invasion or blockade plan.
Exercises Strengthen Partnerships
The maneuvers at Camp Fuji used dummy rockets with concrete-filled tubes and no explosives, conducted under strict safety guidelines observed by Japanese military officials. A local road was closed during the exercise as a precaution. Although the live-fire exercise was slower than combat operations would be, Lt. Col. Anness stressed its value for both his Marines and ties with allies. 'Being able to have long-range precision-fire weapons provides deterrence here in the Pacific, and we train with our Japanese partners as much as we can to make sure we're ready,' he said.
