(missile booming)
- [Narrator] For missiles you can carry on your shoulders,
to attack drones.
These are some of Ukraine's smaller weapons
and they've been effective at fighting Russia's bigger
and more powerful arms.
Military strategists say these lighter tools
can help an underdog army become more like a porcupine.
- The porcupine strategy is really
when a smaller military tries
to defend itself from a larger military,
which is the attacker.
And it uses lots of smaller weapons.
- [Narrator] This strategy has inspired Taiwan
and even its president to rethink
how to defend itself against a much larger adversary, China.
Beijing seized Taiwan as part of its territory.
(missile booming)
And as the possibility of an armed conflict
around the island has escalated,
(soldiers shouting)
Taipei is taking clues from Ukraine
to prepare to fight China's powerful army.
(pensive music)
For several decades, Taiwan has favored expensive gear
like fighter jets, helicopters and tanks
to prepare for a possible war with China.
(Wei speaking in foreign language)
- [Narrator] And this threat
has become heightened as tensions have soared
to the highest point over Taiwan in more than two decades.
After US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei,
Beijing began days of military exercises
that encircled the island.
(rocket whooshing)
Launching rocket and ballistic missiles
and sending navy ships and war planes nearby.
(gun shooting)
Defense analysts say if there were an actual invasion,
Taiwan alone wouldn't be able to ward off China
because its big-ticket weapons
would be quickly destroyed by a more powerful arsenal.
And Taiwan has far fewer soliders compared
with its neighbor, which has the world's largest military
by active personnel.
Given the disadvantages
that's where the so-called porcupine capabilities come in.
- Much like the animal,
it tries to inflict so much pain on the larger rival
that it stops the attacker.
(gun booming)
- [Narrator] And one way to inflict a lot of pain,
these handheld anti-tank and anti-aircraft equipment used
by individual soldiers.
Since the start of the war in Ukraine,
the US has sent thousands of stinger
and javelin missiles to the battlefield.
(weapon booming)
And these weapons are particularly useful
for smaller militaries
because they're able to have an outsized impact
on their rival.
- The Russians have been using lots
of large invasion forces using tanks,
and planes, and the Ukrainians
have been able to fight back
by using these smaller weapons
and using them very effectively
to destroy large targets.
- [Narrator] So far, hundreds of Russian tanks
and aircraft have been destroyed
since the war broke out in February,
according to an open source website
that tracks military equipment losses.
And that success has driven some Taiwanese leaders,
including the president to embrace these types
of anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons.
Earlier this year,
Taiwan's legislature also approved a motion
to conduct more training,
possibly involving portable missiles
like the javelin and stinger.
But those handheld missiles have limitations
because they only have an operating range
of about 2.5 miles.
(missile booming)
That's why Taiwan, like Ukraine,
is also getting longer-range weapons
like these mobile rocket launchers called HIMARS.
In Ukraine, they've allowed the army
to reach beyond Russia's frontline,
sending missiles up to 53 miles away.
In 2020, the US approved the first sale
of the weapon to Taiwan
and the island's Defense Ministry said it's looking
to buy more of them.
(drone whirring)
Another relatively small weapon
that can impose heavy losses from very far away,
the attack drone.
- So attack drones can be very useful
for smaller militaries
because it enables them to do significant damage
behind enemy lines.
Ukrainians have been destroying Russian tanks,
convoys that have been coming into the country.
- [Narrator] The attack drones have also been effective
at hitting Russia's navy.
In May, Ukraine released footage
of what it said were drones hitting two Russian vessels
in the Black Sea.
Russia didn't comment on the Ukrainian claim.
(weapon booming)
This type of sea-based assault
could happen in Taiwan since military experts say
a Chinese invasion would involve a lot
of ships coming over the Taiwan Strait.
So the island has been developing its own indigenous drones
like this one.
The US has also agreed to sell some drones
and Taiwanese lawmakers have been pushing
to purchase four of them.
- Fire, fire, fire.
(weapon shooting)
- [Narrator] Taiwan's government
isn't just preparing weapons.
(guns clicking)
Its citizens are also taking action.
So some people are picking up shooting lessons,
just like the Ukrainians,
and rallying this type of public support
is also an important part of the porcupine strategy.
(guns shooting)
- In Ukraine, things didn't go as quickly
as the Russians thought they would.
One of the reasons for that is the motivation
and the willingness of the Ukrainian population
to take up arms and to defend their country.
- [Narrator] So to prepare its citizens for a war,
Taiwan's Defense Ministry is debating plans
to extend military conscription for up to a year.
(Chiu speaking in foreign language)
- [Narrator] And a survey found
that more than 70% of adults
are in favor of a longer service time.
While Taiwan can learn a lot from Ukraine's experience,
there are unique challenges.
Ukraine borders other countries
and that makes it possible
for its troops to continue receiving a steady flow
of weapons and supplies.
- But Taiwan is an island
and there may be difficulties
if there is a Chinese invasion for Taiwan
to receive weapons from other countries,
particularly if the Chinese form
a blockade around the island.
So it needs to have large stockpiles ready
for a conflict.
- [Narrator] So building that stock
has become a priority.
This year, the government pledged
any extra $8.7 billion for military equipment.
The US, which has promised to help Taiwan defend itself
has been selling military gear to Taipei for decades
and after Pelosi's visit there,
she said America wouldn't abandon its commitment
to the island.
- We've worked together for the security of Taiwan.
(Hua speaking in foreign language)
- [Narrator] China's National Defense Ministry
didn't respond to a request for comment
about Taiwan's military build-up.
But Taiwan isn't the only one keeping a close eye
on the war in Ukraine.
Military experts say China is taking notes too.
- [Alastair] And one of those would be that if you are going
to try and take over one of your neighbors,
you need to use overwhelming force.
- [Narrator] And that's been showcased
during its live fire drills,
showing its ability to effectively blockade Taiwan.
- [Alastair] If Taiwan is faced with one
of the world's most powerful conventional militaries coming
at you with everything,
that's a very difficult challenge.
(pensive music)