Locals were stunned by army vehicles passing through the roads of Yunlin this week, luckily it was just an exercise to test the combat readiness of Taiwan’s troops.
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Taiwan holds its first week-long army drills after six years. The armed forces’ 17th Chan Ching or ‘evergreen’ exercises started on Saturday and aim to test the combat readiness of ground troops amid the rising military threats from China. Tuesday’s drill took place in Yunlin County, where the Army and Navy simulated defending against an invasion.
Army troops played the role of the defending blue team and used Clouded Leopard armored vehicles to rush to engage in combat. The infantry jumped off the vehicles and launched a coordinated formation to suppress the enemy with superior firepower. Loudspeakers on military trucks were announcing which areas had been captured, urging others to drop their weapons and surrender.
The drill combines technology and cognitive warfare, making the process quite realistic. Local people had the opportunity to see the armored vehicles driving in close proximity to their homes and expressed gratitude to the soldiers defending the country.
The blue team also made use of drones to survey nearby terrain. Upon discovering the enemy red team, the image information was immediately transmitted back to the ground commander.
Major General Hu Jui-Hsun (胡瑞訓) explains that the drill showcased the attack actions of the infantry in favorable offensive conditions. He points out that it did not involve traffic control such as road closures, and that the process was smooth, representing the well-trained troops in peacetime.
The drills will continue until the end of the week, so the public still has a chance to witness a realistic combat simulation.