The military is planning three major annual exercises across the army, navy and air force this month, with the navy’s “Hai Chiang” (海強, “Sea Strong”) drills running from today through Thursday, the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday.
The Hai Chiang exercise, which is to take place in waters surrounding Taiwan, would feature P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft and S-70C anti-submarine helicopters, the ministry said, adding that the drills aim to bolster the nation’s offshore defensive capabilities.
China has intensified military and psychological pressure against Taiwan, repeatedly sending warplanes and vessels into areas near the nation’s air defense identification zone and across the median line of the Taiwan Strait, the ministry said.
Photo: Sam Yeh, AFP
Beijing’s actions, including large-scale drills near Taiwan proper, have seriously undermined regional peace and stability, it added.
To counter such threats, the armed forces have been modernizing their equipment, increasing domestic weapons production, and enhancing training and combat readiness, it said.
This month’s exercise schedule also includes the army’s “Lu Sheng No. 1” (陸勝, “Land Victory”) exercise from Oct. 25 to 31 and the air force’s “Tien Lung” (天龍, “Sky Dragon”) exercise from Oct. 27 to 31, the ministry said.
The Hai Chiang exercise, the navy’s annual readiness assessment, would test a wide range of operational capabilities, including joint interception, damage control, onboard firefighting, tactical formation maneuvers, aerial replenishment and live-fire missions, it said.
A notable feature this year is the participation of Coast Guard Administration (CGA) vessels, which would be integrated into the navy’s command structure during the exercise to test wartime protocols for the coast guard’s transition between peacetime and combat operations, the ministry said.
However, the CGA vessels would not take part in live-fire drills, it added.
The CGA’s 600-tonne Anping-class patrol vessels — based on the navy’s Tuo Chiang-class corvette design — were built with dual-use capabilities. In addition to Zhenhai rocket launchers, the ships have space and wiring reserved for the installation of Hsiung Feng anti-ship missiles, allowing the navy to rearm them for combat missions during wartime.
The vessels would be placed under the navy’s command in the event of a conflict, it said.
The navy and the coast guard jointly plan their training schedules, the ministry said, adding that in 2022, an Anping-class patrol vessel successfully launched a Hsiung Feng II anti-ship missile, hitting its target and demonstrating its wartime conversion capability.
Naval notices issued to the Fisheries Agency and the Maritime and Port Bureau showed that live-fire exercises are to be conducted in four designated sea areas throughout this month.
The navy plans to hold gunnery drills three to five times per week during daylight hours, with target zones in the south and northwest of Penghu, northeast of Keelung and west of Kaohsiung, the notices said.
Target distances would range between 305m and 7,620m, the notices said.
One part of the Hai Chiang drill is scheduled for today from 10am to 4pm in waters west of Kaohsiung and Pingtung County, during which a P-3C and an S-70C helicopter would conduct simulated anti-submarine warfare maneuvers at altitudes below 1.2km, the navy said.
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