Army engages in tank field maintenance in Han Kuang exercises

Taoyuan, July 16 (CNA) The Army on Wednesday conducted a field repair drill simulating a tank malfunction during the ongoing Han Kuang military exercises, highlighting the importance of battlefield maintenance in sustained combat operations, the military said.

On the eighth day of the 10-day live-fire portion of the exercise, the Army's 584th Armored Brigade simulated the breakdown of a CM-11 tank during a maneuver. A forward support team was dispatched to carry out emergency repairs using an M88A1 armored recovery vehicle to lift the engine cover and replace a cooling fan, restoring the tank to operational status within 30 minutes.

According to the Ministry of National Defense, this year's Han Kuang exercises have placed greater emphasis on deep and protracted defense operations across urban terrain, as opposed to past editions which typically focused on coastal defense and defeating enemy forces at the shoreline.

The deep defense phase began Tuesday and continued through Wednesday, integrating military-civilian coordination to test Taiwan's resilience under conditions of sustained conflict.

Military officials said that while tank losses due to irreparable damage are rare, mechanical failures caused by intense maneuvering are far more common. This underscores the crucial role of field maintenance in preserving frontline strength, they said.

The Army's 584th Brigade and the Third Support Command's Longtan maintenance depot jointly carried out the drill at Taoyuan Senior High School. Soldiers on site conducted repairs under security cover, demonstrating rapid response capabilities in simulated battlefield conditions.

Chieh Chung (揭仲), an adjunct associate research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, who was present at the drill, cited the July 15, 1943 Operation Citadel as an example, noting that despite heavy losses, Germany's strong field maintenance capabilities allowed it to rapidly restore armored strength, with 60 tanks repaired by the second day and 130 more by the third.

"More tanks are lost to breakdowns than enemy fire," Chieh said, adding that Taiwan's better access to spare parts and supplies compared to a seaborne invading force would give it a critical advantage in sustained combat, provided repair and support units are properly deployed.

Taiwan's ability to conduct rapid maintenance during land warfare is a focus of the American military, Chieh added.

Several students at the high school observed the exercise. Principal Hsu Tsung-sheng (徐宗盛) said drills like these help young people better understand national defense responsibilities, especially as they approach conscription age, and give them valuable exposure to military equipment.