DEFENSE/Experts urge focus on anti-drone tactics in Han Kuang drills

Taipei, July 21 (CNA) Defense experts have called for more focus on counter-drone drills in future Han Kuang exercises, saying the 41st edition, which ended Friday, lacked preparation for a potential large-scale drone attack by China.

Extending the drills to 10 days gave troops a taste of wartime stress, while mobilizing a record 22,000 reservists aimed to gradually boost reserve combat readiness, said defense expert Yang Tai-yuan (楊太源), deputy director of the Research Project on China's Defense Affairs at the Secure Taiwan Associate Corporation.

However, he said the drills lacked a clear focus on counter-drone operations, despite the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) large-scale use of strike drones.

Although mesh cages over armored vehicles are common in foreign battlefields, such anti-drone measures were not seen in the drills. He warned that low-flying drones could pose a serious threat if China were to attack Taiwan.

Chieh Chung (揭仲), an adjunct researcher at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, agreed, saying most ground troops -- apart from special forces -- still lack drone deployment capabilities.

He said anti-drone measures were rarely seen and suggested they should become a focus of future live-fire drills once drones are more widely deployed and doctrines are formalized.

Yang also noted a lack of joint operations, with branches and theater commands largely conducting drills independently -- something he said may have stemmed from the exercise's scenario design.

Chieh concluded that the Ministry of National Defense could consider releasing simulated wartime information to the public and media after each phase of the exercises.

He said this could improve communication and is an area for future improvement.