Long-range rocket artillery gives littoral forces fangs, but the survivability of fixed positions dwindles
By David Rising
/ AP, GOTEMBA, Japan
With a burst of flame, followed by a thunderclap boom that broke the serenity of the training area in the foothills of Japan’s Mount Fuji, the first rocket fired by the US Marines from their mobile launcher screamed toward its target, the orange burn of its engine painting a streak across the blue sky.Another five rockets followed in rapid succession, before a second High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) truck drove out of concealment in a copse of evergreens, fired its salvo of six rockets, then retreated back to cover.The live-fire exercise this week at the US military’s Camp Fuji maneuver area lasted only a few minutes, but was a significant demonstration to Pacific allies of US capabilities as Washington seeks to deter possible Chinese aggression against Taiwan.
US Marines fire rockets from a HIMARS launcher during live-fire training at Camp Fuji in Gotemba, Japan, on May 20.
