Taiwan Prepares for Han Kuang Military Exercises with New Nighttime Drills
Taiwan is gearing up for the annual Han Kuang military exercises, scheduled from July 22-26. This year, the focus includes unscripted combat scenarios, decentralized command, and nighttime operations. These exercises aim to test the readiness of Taiwan’s forces against potential threats from the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
The Han Kuang exercises have been held since 1984 to assess Taiwan’s combat readiness. The term ‘unscripted’ means that simulated enemy attacks can occur anytime and anywhere, using any available weapon systems, to better mimic real-life battlefield conditions.
According to Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence, the exercises will refine operational plans in response to the increasing military threat from the PLA. The scenarios are developed based on possible PLA actions and reviews of previous exercises. All branches of Taiwan’s forces will participate, responding to scenarios with their current capabilities under joint operation plans.
This year’s exercises will be different as the chief of general staff will act as the chief referee, with the commanders of the three branches as deputy referees. The forces will engage non-stop in their areas of responsibility, focusing on cross-branch joint operations and nighttime drills. A small part of the naval and aerial forces will participate in force-on-force drills.
The Ministry of Defence stated that the exercises would not feature live-fire drills on the island of Taiwan, but troops in Kinmen and Matsu will use live ammunition. The goal is to familiarize troops and commanders with the environment they will defend in case of war and practice their defensive plans. For the first time, the exercises will also be held at night to test 24-hour defence capabilities.
This year’s drills will take place across key strategic locations, including Greater Taipei, Tainan, and Kaohsiung.
Doubts Revealed
Taiwan -: Taiwan is an island country in East Asia, near China. It has its own government and military.
Han Kuang military exercises -: These are annual training activities where Taiwan’s military practices defending the country. They simulate real combat situations.
nighttime operations -: These are military activities that happen at night. Soldiers practice fighting and moving in the dark.
unscripted combat scenarios -: These are practice battles where soldiers don’t know exactly what will happen. It helps them prepare for unexpected situations.
decentralized command -: This means that decisions are made by smaller groups of leaders rather than one central leader. It helps the military be more flexible.
Chinese PLA -: PLA stands for People’s Liberation Army, which is the military of China. Taiwan practices defending against them.
Greater Taipei -: This is the area around Taipei, the capital city of Taiwan.
Tainan -: Tainan is a city in southern Taiwan, known for its historical sites.
Kaohsiung -: Kaohsiung is a large port city in southern Taiwan.
live ammunition -: These are real bullets and explosives used in training to make it more realistic.
Kinmen and Matsu -: These are small islands controlled by Taiwan, located close to China.
cross-branch joint operations -: This means different parts of the military, like the army, navy, and air force, work together in the exercises.
force protection tests -: These are tests to see how well the military can protect its soldiers and equipment from attacks.
