The military has concluded a series of simulated cyber warfare maneuvers in which the various branches of the armed forces conducted mock counterattacks on China's coastal military targets following a surprise attack by China, military sources said yesterday.
The round-the-clock five-day computerized warfare simulation, which ended on Friday, was part of the annual "Han Kuang" series of combined services military exercises aimed at honing combat strategies and battlefield management tactics, the sources said.
This year's cyber wargames also marked the first time the armed forces practiced counterattack strategies and skills in simulated warfare drills, the sources said, adding that in the mock counterattacks, Taiwanese troops struck coastal Chinese military targets and booming cities with such weapons as cruise missiles and short-range ballistic missiles.
The military's Joint Operations Command Center, the Joint Operations Training Center and tactical command offices at various strategic military units took part in the computerized maneuvers, the sources said, adding that a US delegation, headed by former Pacific Command commander-in-chief Admiral Dennis Blair, was on hand to observe the process.
The Ministry of National Defense is scheduled to brief the press on the details of the "Han Kuang 23" maneuvers at its routine news conference on Tuesday, the sources said.
Sources also said that the wargame scenario was set in 2012 at a time when China, frustrated by Taiwan's long-term resistance to unification talks, decides to take advantage of Taiwan's procrastination in military arsenal upgrades to accelerate its push for unification by launching an all-out surprise attack on Taiwan proper and its outlying island of Penghu.
In the first three days of the simulated Chinese invasion, Taiwan incurred severe human and material losses from China's saturation ballistic missile assault as well as naval and aerial bombardment.
Afterwards, Taiwan's armed forces managed to stage counterattacks on China's coastal military targets and major cities, causing heavy human casualties and major destruction.
In the scenario, the military strikes had a heavy toll on the economic wellbeing of both sides of the Taiwan Strait and adversely impacted the global economy, causing worldwide panic. In the end, the US and other Western countries mediated a ceasefire.
In a departure from media speculation, however, the wargames did not cover the use of nuclear weapons or Taiwanese attacks on Chinese aircraft carrier battle groups, the sources said.
Meanwhile, the US observation group paid special attention to Taiwanese military personnel's "combat spirit" to determine if morale had been affected by the political infighting that followed the transition of power in 2000.
In weighing the military's "combat spirit," the sources said, the US delegation wanted to determine whether Taiwan would likely lean toward China and whether any advanced US-built weapons systems or sophisticated defense plans would end up in Beijing's hands.
Following the completion of the maneuvers, the military would in initiate a five-day psychological warfare training program aimed at enhancing service members' combat morale, battlefield adaptability and stress management.
The "Han Kuang" series is the largest combined services military exercise in Taiwan. In addition to the computer wargames, it covers live-fire military maneuvers, which will be held later this year.
“China is preparing to invade Taiwan,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) said in an exclusive interview with British media channel Sky News for a special report titled, “Is Taiwan ready for a Chinese invasion?” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today in a statement. The 25-minute-long special report by Helen Ann-Smith released yesterday saw Sky News travel to Penghu, Taoyuan and Taipei to discuss the possibility of a Chinese invasion and how Taiwan is preparing for an attack. The film observed emergency response drills, interviewed baseball fans at the Taipei Dome on their views of US President
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a "tsunami watch" alert after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula in northeastern Russia earlier in the morning. The quake struck off the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula at 7:25am (Taiwan time) at a depth of about 19km, the CWA said, citing figures from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The CWA's Seismological Center said preliminary assessments indicate that a tsunami could reach Taiwan's coastal areas by 1:18pm today. The CWA urged residents along the coast to stay alert and take necessary precautions as waves as high as 1m could hit the southeastern
The National Museum of Taiwan Literature is next month to hold an exhibition in Osaka, Japan, showcasing the rich and unique history of Taiwanese folklore and literature. The exhibition, which is to run from Aug. 10 to Aug. 20 at the city’s Central Public Hall, is part of the “We Taiwan” at Expo 2025 series, highlighting Taiwan’s cultural ties with the international community, National Museum of Taiwan Literature director Chen Ying-fang (陳瑩芳) said. Folklore and literature, among Taiwan’s richest cultural heritages, naturally deserve a central place in the global dialogue, Chen said. Taiwan’s folklore would be immediately apparent at the entrance of the
Speeding and badly maintained roads were the main causes of a school bus accident on a rainy day in Taipei last year that severely injured two people and left 22 with minor injuries, the Taiwan Transportation and Safety Board said. On March 11 last year, a Kang Chiao International School bus overturned inside the Wenshan Tunnel (文山隧道) on the northbound lane of the Xinyi Expressway. The tour bus, owned by Long Lai Co, exceeded the speed limit after entering the tunnel, the board’s investigation found. Sensing that the rear of the vehicle was swaying, the driver attempted to use the service and exhaust
RSS