Taichung: Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense held combat-readiness drills on Tuesday ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, with Army units in Taichung conducting integrated land-and-air exercises featuring a range of weaponry. The drills at the Xinshe base involved personnel from the 586th Combined Arms Brigade, the 58th Artillery Command, and the Army Aviation 602nd Brigade.
According to Focus Taiwan, highlights of the exercises included the Army's Land Sword II missile launcher and M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), which simulated long-range precision support for the Penghu Islands and showcased Taiwan's deep-strike and joint operations capabilities. The military also simulated a scenario in which a Chinese 075-class amphibious assault ship launched two Z-8 transport helicopters and four Z-10 attack helicopters from the Taiwan Strait toward central Taiwan.
In response to the simulated threat, Taiwan's air defense operations center ordered units to engage the incoming aircraft. Ground-based air-defense units, including land-based Hsiung Feng II missile launchers, command vehicles, and radar units, carried out simulated intercepts to neutralize the threat.