The army’s 21st Artillery Command conducted a short-range air defense drill in Taoyuan yesterday as part of the Han Kuang exercises, using the indigenous Sky Sword II (陸射劍二) missile system for the first time in the exercises.
The armed forces have been conducting a series of live-fire and defense drills across multiple regions, simulating responses to a full-scale assault by Chinese forces, the Ministry of National Defense said.
The Sky Sword II missile system was rapidly deployed and combat-ready within 15 minutes to defend Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in a simulated attack, the ministry said.
Photo: Lee Jung-ping, Taipei Times
A three-person crew completed setup and launch preparations, then remote control and radar targeting were used to engage simulated threats.
The Sky Sword II has a range of 2km to 15km and can be launched remotely or from a vehicle, enhancing flexibility and survivability in combat scenarios, it said.
The training was focused on joint anti-landing operations, aerial and missile defense, and counter-airborne assaults on key military and civilian infrastructure, it said.
Photo: Liao Yao-tung, Taipei Times
The exercises simulated a scenario in which Chinese warplanes crossed the Taiwan Strait’s median line during a combat patrol. It included remote-controlled firing procedures and radar targeting, which enhanced “survivability” during the drills, it said.
The portable Stinger air-defense missile purchased from the US was also revealed to the public for the first time in a separate drill in New Taipei City.
Separately, on the coast of Taichung’s Dajia District (大甲), the Fifth Theater Command executed a live anti-landing and road-denial exercise. Soldiers constructed layered coastal defenses to stop an enemy beach landing. Tank ditches, wave breakers and barbed obstacles were used.
A key feature of this year’s drill was the debut of the HESCO barrier system — a rapid-deployment blast wall used by US forces in Afghanistan and Iraq. With only two soldiers and an excavator, a 10m defensive wall was built in just 20 minutes, significantly faster than the sandbag method, it said.
In Penghu County, the First Theater Command staged a counter-airborne operation at the island’s airport, simulating an enemy attempt to sabotage critical infrastructure via helicopter assault.
“Troops quickly mobilized, linked up with airport security forces and neutralized the threat, demonstrating cross-service coordination and rapid response capabilities,” it said.
The drill reflected the shift in Penghu’s focus from traditional beach defense to integrated protection of key installations, aligning with more realistic modern combat scenarios, it added.
In Lienchiang County, the army’s amphibious unit conducted a sea surveillance drill after simulating a coastal radar failure.
Troops quickly outfitted a patrol boat with heavy machine guns and deployed it offshore to monitor maritime activity using sea-level radar, it said, adding that the operation aimed to “maintain domain awareness and reinforce maritime security in the absence of primary detection systems.”
Artillery units stationed in Kinmen County also held exercises, executing rapid-deployment drills, moving into tactical positions and establishing firepower readiness under improvised conditions, it said.
In southern Taiwan, Marine Corps units from the 99th Brigade initiated rapid redeployment northward late on Saturday evening using Humvees and medium tactical vehicles, it said.
“After resting at the 66th Brigade’s base in Taoyuan, the Marine Corps can join upcoming live-fire drills in northern Taiwan, reflecting the armed forces’ ability to shift reinforcements across regions in response to evolving threats,” it said.
The ministry said that all exercises were conducted under a “scenario-based, unscripted” format to better prepare personnel for real-time threats and unexpected battlefield developments.
Additional reporting by Aaron Tu and Huang Ching-hsuan
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