The military should abolish centralized deployment and instead adopt something like the US’ Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS) to maximize survivability through dispersed deployment and mobile defenses, an Institute for National Defense and Security Research analyst said yesterday.
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) demonstrated long-range rocket-strike capabilities during its “Justice Mission 2025” exercise on Monday and Tuesday.
Chinese rocket forces still rely heavily on pre-designated bases that Taiwanese radar or satellites could detect, institute researcher Shu Hsiao-huang (舒孝煌) said.
Photo: Liao Yao-tung, Taipei Time
In light of Chinese capabilities, the Taiwanese military must change its tactics, Shu said.
Defense installations near tourist sites or bunkers on the coasts are passe and are an open invitation for bombardment, Shu said, adding that “mobility, firepower and accuracy” have proven to be the key to survival for modern militaries in the Russia-Ukraine war.
The military should put the M109A7 Paladin self-propelled howitzers and the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System to better use, he said, citing the importance of scattering strike-capable units and adopting “hit-and-run” tactics to prevent being targeted by PLA drones.
The “Taiwan Dome” project would essentially be an adoption of the US’ IBCS system, allowing Taiwan’s military to more effectively integrate the army’s multiple radar systems and firing units, he said.
The Taiwan Dome would have high-level detection and interception capabilities, and is a part of an eight-year, NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.76 billion) special defense budget, he added.
The funds would be allocated from this year to 2033, although the bill is stalled in the legislature.
The dome system would prevent the military’s launch capabilities from being paralyzed if radar stations are crippled, Shu said.
Asked whether Taiwan could establish a system similar to Israel’s Iron Dome, Shu said that missile interception is costly and its effectiveness is limited.
The core principle for Taiwan’s defense is evasion and to ensure that key areas are protected, Shu said, adding that units should as much as possible be able to evade incoming strikes by being highly mobile.
As for air bases and critical infrastructure, systems similar to the US’ Indirect Fire Protection Capability should be adopted, he said.
A US Congress report on the indirect fire system said it is “a mobile, ground-based weapon system designed to defeat cruise missiles, uncrewed aircraft systems, and rocket, artillery and mortars.”
Shu said that such systems would allow Taiwan to protect key infrastructure, even if resources are limited.
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