TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan launched a five-day joint defense exercise on Monday, simulating scenarios including enemy incursions into territorial waters and attacks on major population centers.
The drill focuses on integrating the Army, Navy, and Air Force while testing decentralized command-and-control systems. The Ministry of National Defense said the exercise follows similar drills held in June and uses a "live-fire, on-site, real-time, live-equipment, and live-action" approach, per a MND press release
The military said the exercise emphasizes situational awareness, operational guidance, and the integration of resources across all levels to ensure commanders and troops maintain maximum combat readiness. The ministry said the drills did not interfere with disaster recovery operations following Typhoon Bavi.
Before the start of the exercise, each operational command area contacted county and city governments to assess post-disaster recovery conditions and properly coordinate the deployment of disaster relief forces and the sequence of military training activities. Troops were also instructed to quickly transition from disaster relief missions to combat readiness training.
In Taipei, one focus of the exercise was the Marine Corps' mobile reinforcement capabilities. Dozens of military vehicles, including ambulances, communications vehicles, and Humvees, moved into position to establish temporary command posts and conduct on-site reconnaissance missions.
In Kaohsiung, the Army 333rd Combined Arms Brigade deployed to protect key targets, with convoys of Humvees and armored vehicles moving into tactical positions, according to LTN.
Meanwhile, in Hualien, units from the 2nd Combined Arms Battalion rapidly deployed 105mm towed artillery, M60A3 tanks, and CM22 mortar carriers to designated tactical positions within their areas of responsibility, according to a Military News Agency report.
The military said the drills allow commanders and troops at all levels to strengthen battlefield response procedures, refine command-and-control capabilities, and improve tactical execution, ensuring forces can rapidly deploy and conduct joint territorial defense operations under various scenarios.
