The army yesterday showcased its new shooting training program that seeks to simulate battlefield conditions to better prepare soldiers for real combat situations.
In a demonstration open to the media at an army base in Taoyuan, soldiers showed reporters how they fire precisely at targets while standing, prone or kneeling.
Previously, soldiers were only trained to shoot their pistols or rifles in a stationary prone position, the army said.
Photo: CNA
The change was made to simulate battleground conditions, with trainees changing shooting positions as they would need to in combat and fixing their guns if they are jammed, it said.
Trainees are required to run past two obstacles before taking a total of 36 shots from three positions at nine targets that are about 50m to 75m away within 1 minute, 45 seconds, it said.
To pass, soldiers must hit the targets with six of 12 shots while standing, four of 12 while prone and four of 12 while kneeling, the army said.
Army Major Chang Chia-hua (張家華) of the army’s Education, Training and Doctrine Development Command, which devised the new program, said the biggest difference in the new approach was its emphasis on soldiers’ fitness and endurance, and their need to stay still and control their breathing while shooting after being in motion.
The latest change is part of the military’s ongoing training reforms to boost combat readiness as tensions between Taiwan and China remain high.
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