DEFENSE/Experts laud Han Kuang drills for realism, discipline and practicality

Taipei, July 21 (CNA) The 2025 Han Kuang military exercises -- the longest in the history of the annual drills -- have drawn positive feedback for their emphasis on realistic combat training, higher troop visibility, and the debut of new military equipment, despite a few minor incidents during the 10-day period over which the exercises were held.

Chieh Chung (揭仲), an adjunct researcher at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said Monday that he observed a marked improvement in training intensity and public engagement.

In past years, many Taiwanese perceived conscription or refresher programs as a waste of time due to poor organization resulting from limited resources, he said.

However, this year, many service members acknowledged that the training was physically demanding yet meaningful, especially given its focus on mission-based combat tasks, such as close-quarters fighting and multi-round blank firing, Chieh added.

During a visit to the Army's 206th Infantry Brigade on July 11, Chieh said he was particularly impressed by the reservists' performance during a combat-readiness drill -- troops remained focused and disciplined throughout the day, even conducting the after-action review in heavy rain.

Chieh said their professionalism made him question whether they were actually reservists, and he only confirmed their status after noticing their longer hair.

This highlights the fact that reforms carried out by the government in refresher programs are succeeding in turning civilians into combat-ready troops, according to Chieh.

Chieh also noted that this year's Han Kuang drills included more than 100 disclosed training scenarios, most of which were conducted in actual wartime mission areas. This not only enhanced realism but also allowed the public to observe the military up close, he said.

As China ramps up military pressure on Taiwan, the higher troop visibility has helped to reassure the public and foster a stronger sense of national defense, Chieh said.

Despite a number of traffic accidents caused by military vehicles during the annual drills, overall public support for the military remains strong, he added.

Meanwhile, Lin Ying-yu (林穎佑), an associate professor at Tamkang University's Graduate Institute of International Affairs and Strategic Studies, said both the public and reservists generally had a positive view of this year's drills.

Many felt the training was substantive and clearly, not a box-ticking exercise, thanks in part to changes within the military itself and heightened public awareness of regional threats, Lin said.

However, Lin cautioned that there is still room for improvement -- for example, drone warfare, which is now a crucial element of modern warfare, was not sufficiently addressed in the current training, he said.

Front-line forces and reserve units should update their training models to reflect evolving threats, Lin added.

In addition, while the United States has repeatedly called on Taiwan to increase its defense budget, this year's Han Kuang exercises demonstrated that Taiwan's defense hinges on more than just spending. Lin said.

For instance, information security training undertaken by the military's Information, Communications and Electronic Force Command and drills involving military police in the Taipei Metro system are not included in the national defense budget but play a crucial role in strengthening Taiwan's overall resilience, Lin added.

Online praise

In addition to the experts' feedback, online discussion following the live-fire component of the exercises from July 9-18 was also more favorable than in previous years, with many reservists participating in the drills sharing their reflections and experiences on social media.

One citizen, who asked to remain anonymous, said he had previously undergone refresher training and visited a public training site during the exercises.

He noted a shift in approach: in the past, soldiers conducting blank-fire drills were required to use shell catchers to ensure that the number of shots fired matched the number of shells recovered.

This year, reservists were no longer mandated to use them. Instead, officers said an approximate match would suffice. This change allowed troops to focus on combat fundamentals such as improving reaction speed and muscle memory, the observer said.

During the nationwide military exercises, a light tactical vehicle operated by the military veered off the road and crashed into a roadside stone barrier on Qinan 3rd Road in Kaohsiung's Qishan District at around 6 p.m. on July 12.

The crash left the vehicle interior in disarray, and the three soldiers in the vehicle with head trauma, though none of them suffered life-threatening injuries.

In a separate incident, a military Patriot missile transporter became stuck at an intersection in Xindian District, New Taipei, at around 8 p.m. on July 11 after the driver misjudged a turn and the vehicle became lodged against the awning of a nearby shop, leaving it unable to move.