The marine corps yesterday launched an amphibious landing exercise at a beach in Pingtung County with air support from the air force, demonstrating joint operations capabilities it has been developing in recent years.
Over 3,000 troops and 50 naval vessels of various kinds were mobilized for the training exercise, code-named "Lienhsing No. 90," which took place at Chialutang beach in Fanshan township.
The beach was also the site where the navy launched two live torpedo tests and the air force test-fired one French-made Mica air-to-air missile on Tuesday.
The Ministry of National Defense, which invited the press to watch the event said the training exercise was a regular one which had no political motives.
The Lienhsing-series exercises are indeed regular training drills held three to four times each year by the marine corps.
The ministry had reason to play down the Lienhsing No. 90 since it has been rumored that China was planning to launch a large-scale military exercise in Fujian Province.
The exercise yesterday had as many as 3,000-plus participating troops, but the real number of marines who actually got involved in the amphibious landing was only several hundred -- about the size of a battalion.
Of the more than 50 naval ships mobilized for the exercise, most were small landing craft which carried soldiers from big tank landing ships to the beach. Only a small number of the vessels were warships, including some Knox-class and Chinking-class frigates.
With the mobilization of so many ships, the marine corps was capable of sending one battalion of troops ashore.
A marine officer who has participated before in the Lienhsing-series exercises, said the exercises used to be bigger in size but that they have been scaled-back in recent years due to a lack of funds and suitable places for the troops to maneuver.
"In recent years, the focus has been on developing the joint operations capabilities of the marine corps. It is the same with other armed services," said the officer, who wished to remain anonymous.
In the exercise yesterday, the air force sent four F-5E fighter planes to provide simulated air support to marine soldiers who were on their way to establish beachheads.
Such inter-service cooperation has been the norm in Lienhsing exercises in recent years, marking concrete efforts toward the goal of joint operations.
The army also sent a number of AH-1W attack helicopters and OH-58D reconnaissance helicopters to the exercise. But these helicopters played the role of the enemy, using their firepower to stop the marine corps from landing on the beach.
At that point in the exercise, several Knox-class and Chengkung-class frigates -- which had been escorting the landing vessels -- came to the rescue of the marines.
They used their on-board air defense weapons to counter the attacking helicopters.
All exchange of fire between the two sides was simulated.
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