The military yesterday deployed a drone and several vehicles to drop leaflets and broadcast messages in a psychological warfare drill as part of the Han Kuang exercises.
During the drill in Taoyuan, a psychological warfare task force from the Political Warfare Bureau dispatched a drone to scatter leaflets, while trucks broadcast video and audio propaganda to boost the morale of Taiwanese soldiers amid a simulation of an invasion by China.
A military truck blared sound effects of fighter jets flying by, shells dropping and tanks rolling, a strategy to distract and confuse the enemy on the battlefield, the Ministry of National Defense said.
Photo: RITCHIE B. TONGO, EPA-EFE
Cognitive warfare, disinformation campaigns and rumor-spreading have become a major part of modern warfare, alongside conventional kinetic warfare, the ministry said.
The main purpose of psychological warfare is to counter such campaigns and create fear among the enemy, thus weakening its will to fight, it said.
The bureau’s special task force is capable of creating and broadcasting audio and video propaganda material, and dropping flyers within 30 minutes of receiving an order to do so, the ministry said.
Photo: Ann Wang,
Yesterday’s drill’s were part of the live-fire component of the 38th edition of the annual Han Kuang exercises.
The exercises, which test the country’s combat readiness in the event of a Chinese invasion, began on Monday morning and are to conclude today.
In other Han Kuang drills yesterday, the 99th Marine Brigade held a joint landing operation at a beach in Pingtung County’s Fangshan Township (枋山).
Using boats and amphibious assault vehicles, special troops made a landing at the beach, covered by friendly air and sea forces, the ministry said.
In Miaoli County, reservists undergoing extended training under the 302nd Infantry Brigade simulated fending off an attempted beach landing by enemy forces.
CM34 and CM32 armored vehicles from the 586 Armored Brigade were deployed to repel the “invaders.”
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