Chinese Firm Produces Mobile Replicas of U.S.-Made HIMARS Amid Rising Taiwan Tensions

Beijing, August 2025 – A Chinese defense company has begun producing mobile replicas of the U.S.-manufactured HIMARS rocket artillery system, offering the mockups for training purposes and limited export. Videos circulating on Chinese social media show moving versions of the system that strongly resemble the American launchers, sparking debate about their intended role and timing.

Purpose of the Replicas

According to the company, the replicas are currently being built in small batches but can be produced in larger numbers if demand rises. The firm has stated it is ready to provide customized versions tailored for training, including variations designed to simulate battlefield conditions.

These replicas, while non-functional, are reportedly used to:

• Train Chinese military crews in recognizing and targeting HIMARS-like platforms.

• Provide realistic decoy targets for air and drone training missions.

• Potentially offer low-cost exports to friendly nations for military exercises.

Global Practice of Weapon Mockups

China is not alone in producing high-fidelity replicas of adversary weapon systems. The United States military also routinely builds realistic mockups of foreign platforms, including Russian S-300/S-400 air defense systems and Chinese J-20 stealth fighters, for training purposes. Such replicas often replicate not only the external appearance but also the electromagnetic signatures of the weapons, allowing U.S. forces to practice detection, targeting, and suppression in realistic scenarios.

Military experts suggest that these HIMARS replicas could be used in a similar way by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), both for training pilots and drone operators and for testing the ability of Chinese systems to engage or jam U.S.-supplied rocket artillery.

Coinciding With Taiwan’s HIMARS Deployment

The timing of the Chinese replica program is particularly notable as Taiwan recently activated its first HIMARS-equipped unit. Taipei received 11 out of 29 HIMARS launchers from the United States last year, and the first unit was formally tested in May. Each launcher can fire guided rockets or precision strike missiles with ranges up to 300 kilometers, allowing Taiwan to target key sites across the Taiwan Strait, including military bases in China’s coastal Fujian province.

This new capability is considered a major boost to Taiwan’s precision strike and deterrence strategy, especially amid increasing Chinese military pressure. The island has also expanded its arsenal of Harpoon coastal defense missiles, Stinger MANPADS, and indigenous long-range strike systems to counter a potential invasion.

Rising Tensions Across the Strait

Over the past five years, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has intensified its operations around Taiwan, conducting large-scale exercises, amphibious landing drills, and near-daily naval and air patrols. These activities are widely seen as rehearsals for potential future conflict scenarios.

Taiwan’s acquisition of HIMARS adds a powerful long-range precision fire option, capable of striking military infrastructure, airfields, and staging areas on the mainland. Analysts note that this development has likely increased China’s interest in creating HIMARS replicas to study the system’s characteristics and prepare countermeasures.

Strategic Implications

While the Chinese replicas are not combat-capable, their production highlights:

• China’s awareness of the HIMARS threat in the Taiwan theater.

• The growing importance of mockup weapons in modern military training and deception operations.

• The symbolic role of HIMARS as both a deterrent for Taiwan and a target of Chinese counter-strategy.

By producing mobile copies, China may also be able to deploy decoys on the battlefield, complicating enemy reconnaissance and missile targeting during a conflict.

The production of HIMARS replicas by a Chinese company comes at a sensitive moment, as Taiwan integrates U.S.-supplied rocket artillery into its defense posture. While not operational weapons, these mockups add a new layer to the military competition across the Taiwan Strait.

With HIMARS now serving as a frontline symbol of U.S.-Taiwan cooperation and China showcasing its ability to replicate and counter the system, the long-range rocket launcher has become yet another focal point in the widening standoff in East Asia.