Taiwan staged a brigade size military drill aimed at defeating an airborne invasion of the country by paratroopers and airborne troops of the People's Liberation Army (PLA).
The exercise Tuesday involving the joint arms battalion of the 584 Armor Brigade of the Republic of China Army (ROCA) simulated repulsing an airborne assault of the Taoyuan International Airport. The mock attack conducted at the Hukou Army Base south of Taipei also saw the debut of the army's unmanned helicopter drone, said the Military News Agency.
Any PLA invasion of Taiwan will be preceded by aerial attacks and air landing assaults on key command and control centers and other strategic targets such as airports by paratroopers, special forces units and other airborne troops.
ROCA said the aim of the exercise was to hone the battalion’s suppressive fire capabilities, battlefield surveillance abilities and defense skills. Army soldiers practiced destroying PLA anti-armor weapons while conducting air strike coordination. Emphasis was laid on armored vehicle offensive maneuvers.
The combat exercise came only a day before the exit of the Trump administration, which has been the country's most supportive U.S. administration in decades.
The exercise incorporated real combat scenarios and highlighted the ability of joint battalions to independently conduct coordinated operations.
Lt. Col. Huang Yu-tin, commander of the 584th brigade’s joint arms battalion said the information drones provide help enhances situational awareness and leads to better battlefield decisions.
He said the military's new drone flies at a maximum altitude of 3,000 meters and has a range of five kilometers. The drone can observe enemy targets at a distance and relay intelligence back to the operations command center.
The Ministry of Defense said helicopter drones are expected to be deployed with troops in the first quarter of 2022.
The combat exercise was meant to reassure the public the military is on high alert ahead of February’s Lunar New Year festival on February 12 when many troops take leave and visit their families.
“No matter what is happening around the Taiwan Strait, our determination to guard our homeland will never change,” said Maj. Gen. Chen Chong-ji, director of the department of political warfare, about the exercise.
Chen said the exercise was intended as a show of force underscoring Taiwan’s determination to maintain peace. (Jan. 18, 2021)
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