Mike Baker

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Welcome back to the PDB Afternoon Bulletin.

We're getting a new look at how Taiwan plans to fight back if China ever follows through on its threats to take the island by force.

For the first time, Taiwanese troops fired U.S.-made rocket systems into waters facing mainland China in a drill simulating an amphibious invasion.

Now, at first glance, this may sound like just another military exercise.

After all, the Taiwan Strait is hardly lacking for military activity.

Taipei conducts drills frequently and regularly in the face of Beijing's near daily aviation and naval intrusions.

But here's what made this one different.

Taiwanese troops fired the high-mobility artillery rocket system, better known as HIMARS, from a beachhead regarded as a potential landing site if Beijing ever attempted to invade the self-governed island.

The exercise took place along Taiwan's western coast.

In total, the forces fired 32 rockets as the finale of a two-day exercise designed to simulate one of the most serious security challenges facing the island.

The HIMARS, the highly mobile rocket launcher, became one of Kyiv's most effective battlefield tools, allowing Ukrainian forces to strike Russian ammunition depots and command centers and logistics hubs far behind the front lines before quickly relocating to avoid retaliation.

Taiwan has been watching that, of course, and sees enormous value in the same concept.

Unlike Ukraine, Taiwan isn't preparing to stop an enemy advancing across a land border.