Taipei: A newly formed unit within Taiwan's Marine Corps has upgraded its weaponry by replacing older, domestically produced rifles with advanced U.S.-made M4A1 rifles, a source confirmed to CNA. This transition marks a significant step in enhancing the unit's capabilities for land-based security operations.

According to Focus Taiwan, the First Security Battalion of the Air Defense and Base Guard Group, part of the Republic of China (ROC) Marine Corps, has replaced its outdated T65K2 rifles, originally in service since the late 1980s, with M4A1s. The precise timeline and quantity of the new rifles delivered remain undisclosed.

The upgrade was confirmed after local media published reports and images of Taiwanese marines equipped with M4A1 rifles. The First Security Battalion, established on November 14, 2024, as a component of the Marine Corps' structural reform, primarily consists of conscripts serving a one-year compulsory term. Its primary mission is to secure land-based mobile missile and radar crews, ensuring their operational mobility and safety.

The source also revealed plans for the formation of a second security battalion within the same group later this year. Su Tzu-yun, a research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, stated that the M4A1 rifles were likely procured through Foreign Military Financing programs approved during former U.S. President Joe Biden's administration. The M4A1's design, featuring a shorter barrel and Picatinny quad rail system, enhances handling, maneuverability, and accessory attachment options, including a Combat Optical Gunsight (ACOG).