Taiwan Marine Corps' new unit equipped with U.S.-made M4A1 rifles: Source

Taipei, Jan. 11 (CNA) A newly formed unit under Taiwan's Marine Corps tasked with land-based security operations has recently replaced its aging, domestically produced rifles with more advanced, U.S.-made M4A1 rifles, a source confirmed to CNA on Saturday.

The unnamed source familiar with the matter told CNA that the First Security Battalion under the Air Defense and Base Guard Group of the Republic of China (ROC) Marine Corps has replaced its older T65K2 rifles, which have been in service since the late 1980s, with the newly received M4A1s.

The source did not say exactly when the rifle upgrade took place and how many M4A1s were given to the battalion, however.

The confirmation came after several local media outlets reported the upgrade of the rifles used by the Marine Corps battalion and published photos showing Taiwanese marines holding M4A1s.

The First Security Battalion under the Air Defense and Base Guard Group was established on Nov. 14, 2024, as part of a structural reform of the Marine Corps.

The battalion is made up mainly of conscripts serving one-year compulsory service and its main task is to provide security for land-based mobile missile crews and mobile radar crews, ensuring their mobility throughout the mission and the safety of their positions.

The source added that the second security battalion of the same group is expected to be formed later this year.

Asked to comment on the addition of the U.S.-made rifles, Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲), a research fellow at the government-funded Institute for National Defense and Security Research, told CNA that he believes the batch of M4A1s was acquired under the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) programs approved during former U.S. President Joe Biden's term.

The M4A1 has a shorter barrel than the aging 65K2 rifles, giving it better handling and maneuverability. It also features a Picatinny quad rail system that allows for accessory attachments, including a Combat Optical Gunsight (ACOG), Su added.