DEFENSE / Taiwan simulates coastal combat, drone defense in Kinmen drills

Kinmen, March 18 (CNA) The Army's Kinmen Defense Command on Wednesday launched the "Taiwu" live-fire drills on a Taiwan-held island just off the coast of China to test the military's readiness to engage in coastal combat and respond to unmanned aerial systems.

The command said it carried out the first "Taiwu Exercise" of 2026, in which live ammunition was fired toward waters off Donggang on Lieyu Island, part of the Kinmen Islands.

Lieyu Island is about 5 kilometers from the Chinese city of Xiamen at its closest point compared to about 210 kilometers from the island of Taiwan.

Troops from the Lieyu Garrison Battalion deployed standard-issue weapons to perform drills covering drone response, live-fire defense, near-shore defense and beach combat, as well as final protective fire, according to the command.

The live-fire drill, it said, simulated realistic combat scenarios in which real equipment and live troops were deployed in an environment where situations evolved continuously from gray zone threats to enemy landings.

The drills were consistent with training requirements emphasizing "a single-point incident triggering chain reactions and comprehensive responses," it said.

According to the command, the drill used a range of standard weapons, including 60mm and 81mm mortars, 105mm howitzers, .50-caliber machine guns and 66mm rockets, to provide cover for armored and combat vehicles engaged in beach defense and protective fire missions.

M41D tanks, CM21 armored vehicles and CM23 mortar carriers from the Lieyu Garrison Battalion also maneuvered into firing positions with full equipment and live ammunition, the command said.

The exercise also incorporated the Tactical Assault Kit (TAK) system to enhance command, control and communications resilience, integrating different units in joint operations.

The command did not describe in detail how the military performed during the drills, saying only that they demonstrated the benefits of routine combat readiness exercises.