The nation’s armed forces would comprehensively enhance their combat capabilities, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday aboard the navy’s Tsoying (左營) destroyer, just hours after the conclusion of the military’s annual Hai Chiang (海強, “Sea Strong”) live-fire exercise near Taiwan proper.
Lai was accompanied by Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄), Navy Commander Admiral Tang Hua (唐華), Surface Combatant Group 62.1 Commander Rear Admiral Wei Chien-chung (魏建中), and other senior defense officials and military officers.
Lai attended a briefing on the drills before inspecting the Tsoying’s combat information center, foredeck, helicopter hangar, and air defense systems and drones, then gave a speech to the naval service personnel.
Photo courtesy of the Presidential Office
The five-day drill tested the fleet’s readiness for potential conflict with China, including joint interception, damage control, formational maneuvers, aerial replenishment and live-fire missions, the Ministry of National Defense said.
Warships in Surface Combatant Group 62.1 deployed Sikorsky S-70C anti-submarine helicopters, Albatross surveillance drones made by the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology, naval mines, 5-inch guns, 40mm cannons and Chaparral missiles, a video released by the Presidential Office showed.
Lai thanked the naval service members on the ship, saying the Hai Chiang exercise is vital for bolstering the military’s capacity to counter a Chinese blockade and recover from combat damage in wartime.
Naval personnel who took part in the drills should take pride that they have performed superbly as befits the navy’s highest standards of professionalism, skill and diligence, he added.
Surface Combatant Group 62.1 has long served as the guardian of Taiwan’s territorial waters and maritime security, Lai said, adding that he hoped the unit would continue to uphold its tradition of honor, discipline and prowess in battle.
The armed forces must enhance their asymmetric capabilities and innovative defense technologies to counter the long-term threat posed by China and its increasing use of “gray zone” tactics, he said.
The military should prioritize the deployment of precision-guided weapons, uncrewed systems, applied artificial intelligence and other measures to bolster the nation’s defensive resilience, he added.
The armed forces must embrace new training, thinking, equipment and technology by integrating emerging capabilities and techniques to achieve a comprehensive transformation of military power, he said.
Such objectives can only be realized through a whole-of-society effort and a firm commitment within the military to implement necessary reforms across all levels of command, Lai said.
Separately, Koo is expected to brief lawmakers on the progress of the Hai Kun (海鯤), Taiwan’s first domestically built defense submarine, on Monday and Thursday, the Legislative Yuan’s agenda showed.
Koo’s scheduled sessions follow the navy’s confirmation that the prototype submarine has encountered technical problems affecting its diesel-electric propulsion system and operational firmware.
That prevented the Hai Kun from completing key components of its sea acceptance tests — including diving and torpedo-firing trials originally slated for last month — and could lead to significant delays in CSBC Corp’s (台船公司) delivery of the vessel to the navy, which was initially planned for next month.
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