The National Army expands its inventory of Thunder 2000 high-explosive rockets and purchases MK-30 and MK-45 ammunition

Thunderbolt 2000 Multiple Launch Rocket System loaded with MK30 rockets. (File photo)

[By Reporter Tu Ju-min / Taipei Report] While the Army continues to receive American-made "HIMARS" multiple launch rocket systems, the domestically produced Thunderbolt 2000 will also expand its war reserve ammunition inventory. According to the Ministry of National Defense's budget proposal for next year, the Army will allocate over NT$691.7 million to commission the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) to manufacture "Thunderbolt 2000 High-Explosive Rockets." The procurement includes two types of war reserve munitions, the MK-30 and MK-45, and is scheduled to be completed within next year to continuously enrich the Armed Forces' multiple launch rocket firepower and anti-landing combat capabilities.

The Thunderbolt 2000 is a domestically produced multiple launch rocket system developed by NCSIST. It can be equipped with rocket pods of different ranges, such as the MK-15, MK-30, and MK-45, depending on operational requirements. Among them, the MK-30 has a range of approximately 15 to 30 kilometers. Each launcher vehicle can carry up to 3 rocket pods, holding a total of 27 rockets; the longer-range MK-45 can target objectives around 25 to 45 kilometers away, with each vehicle carrying 2 rocket pods for a total of 12 rockets. They can fire in a salvo within a short period to form dense firepower coverage over a large area.

The moment of launch of the Thunderbolt 2000 Multiple Launch Rocket System. (File photo)

The Thunderbolt 2000 has long served as a crucial firepower component of the Army's anti-landing operations. According to its range and mission design, the MK-30 can cover enemy landing fleet assembly areas and water-transiting zones, making it suitable for striking landing craft and assembled troops advancing toward the beachhead; the range of the MK-45 extends further outward to the offshore transfer area, delivering fire suppression against force concentrations around enemy amphibious ships preparing to transfer to landing vehicles.

Both the MK-30 and MK-45 rockets of the Thunderbolt 2000 can be paired with different warheads based on the mission. This budget proposal explicitly indicates the procurement of "high-explosive rockets," primarily aiming to attack area targets such as troops, vehicles, and positions using blast and fragmentation effects.

The moment of launch of the US-made HIMARS Multiple Launch Rocket System. (File photo)

By contrast, the American-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system possesses longer range and precision-strike capabilities, capable of attacking high-value targets such as enemy command posts, air defense positions, and staging areas. Its guided rockets have a range of approximately 70 kilometers, and if loaded with Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles, the range can reach 300 kilometers, granting deep-strike capabilities that can complement the Thunderbolt 2000 in a "high-low mix."