The annual "Sea and Air Precision Ammunition Firing Exercise" began yesterday, during which an innovative attack model involving drones launched from uncrewed surface vessels was successfully employed against a maritime target.
Hosted this year by the air force, the two-day drill is to run through today in Pingtung County’s Jiupeng Military Base.
According to the military, yesterday’s live-fire phase focused on the air force, with Indigenous Defense Fighters (IDFs) firing Sky Sword II missiles, F-16Vs launching AIM-120 advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles and AGM-65 Maverick missiles, and Mirage 2000s test-firing MICA missiles.
Photo: Tsai Tsung-hsien, Taipei Times
Naval vessels and the navy’s Hai Feng Shore-Based Anti-ship Missile Group are today set to fire Hsiung Feng anti-ship missiles and Standard Missile-1s, while additional live-fire tests are to involve Patriot, Sky Bow and Sky Sword I systems, the military said.
Certain "special weapons" would also be tested during the two-day event, it added.
One of the highlights of yesterday’s drill was the test of the "Kuai Chi" USV developed by Taiwan’s state-run weapons manufacturer National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology.
Coordinated through the military’s command-and-control system, the vessel launched "Ching Feng" attack drones along with an undisclosed drone type in a swarm strike, successfully hitting its target at sea.
The military would consider procurement plans for the system following evaluation of the test results.
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