Taiwan has opened an upgraded weapons factory in Kaohsiung and is ramping up production of its newest assault rifle — a sign the island is pushing harder to arm itself without relying on foreign suppliers.

• The 205th Arsenal, which makes Taiwan's small arms, moved to a new site with robotic production lines and automated safety systems.
• Its main job now is the T112 assault rifle, a homegrown design that will replace the older rifles used by combat units.
• Taiwan has set aside roughly a quarter of a billion dollars to buy more than 86,000 of the new rifles through 2029.
• The plant makes all six key parts of the rifle in-house, with the rest coming from local suppliers, keeping the supply chain on the island.
• The move also freed up old industrial land in Kaohsiung for a redevelopment project.

Outlook: Expect steady rifle deliveries to Taiwan's army over the next few years as the island keeps building out its own defense industry.