U.S. Delivers Damaged Weapons, Body Armor to Taiwan

A report released by the U.S. Department of Defense's (DoD) Inspector General on September 11 revealed that a significant portion of arms recently delivered to Taiwan were "unserviceable."

According to the report, the DoD "did not effectively or efficiently implement accountability and quality controls" for equipment sent to Taiwan under the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA).

The report highlighted that more than 340 pallets of items sustained water damage while awaiting transport at Travis Air Force Base. These pallets were stored at the aerial port of embarkation for three months before being shipped to Taiwan. The damage was attributed to inadequate storage capacity and the base's inability to protect the equipment from adverse weather conditions.

The Inspector General found that the U.S. Army only requested a special airlift mission for these military supplies nearly two months after they had been delivered to the port. In December 2023, the Pentagon shipped 120 of the damaged pallets to Taiwan, including body armor that was "wet and moldy."

In addition to the damaged body armor, the report noted that Taiwan received 2.7 million rounds of ammunition, some of which were expired, loose, or improperly packaged. Taiwanese authorities reportedly spent several weeks "unpacking, drying, and inventorying the wet and moldy" items.

The Inspector General concluded that the delivery of non-mission-capable items could hinder the DoD's ability to achieve its security cooperation goals and potentially erode Taiwan's confidence in the United States as a defense partner.

In July 2023, U.S. President Joe Biden approved up to $345 million worth of defense goods and services for Taiwan. However, the report raises concerns about the handling of these deliveries. Of the 504 pallets of gear   shipped to Taiwan, approximately 67% were damaged during the extended wait at Travis Air Force Base. Additionally, the report revealed that six M240B machine guns were found improperly stored inside a large cardboard box without proper wrapping or cushioning.

The Inspector General's findings underscore the need for improved accountability and quality controls in the DoD's supply chain processes to ensure that equipment delivered under the Presidential Drawdown Authority meets operational standards.