Army simulates defending against amphibious invasion in Taichung

Taichung, June 9 (CNA) The Taiwanese Army's 10th Corps conducted heavy artillery drills around the northern and southern banks of the Dajia River estuary in Taichung on Tuesday, simulating a scenario in which Chinese amphibious forces attempt to invade central Taiwan.

Despite extremely heavy rain, troops carried out live-fire drills in an operational area with the Thunderbolt-2000 multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) for the first time in seven years, followed by exercises involving M109A2 self-propelled howitzers.

The drills involved the 58th Artillery Command, the 234th Brigade and the 586th Brigade, with a total of 372 rounds across six categories fired from eight positions deployed over a 20-kilometer-wide front, the 10th Corps said.

The drill featured live-fire exercises with the locally developed Thunderbolt-2000 MLRS, M109A2 and M110A2 self-propelled howitzers, 155mm howitzers, 120mm mortars, and TOW-2A and TOW-2B missile vehicles.

The 10th Corps said the live-fire drills aimed to verify joint firepower capabilities and the effectiveness of the kill chain while simulating efforts to delay and weaken invading forces landing on Dajia Beach.

The drills began at 8:24 a.m., when three Thunderbolt-2000 systems launched 180 MK15 training rockets. Each vehicle fired 60 rockets in about 30 seconds.

The first two launchers successfully fired their full loads. However, the seventh rocket fired by the third launcher fell a short distance from its launch location.

Col. Weng Yi-ming (翁一銘), chief of staff of the 58th Artillery Command, said the rocket ignited properly and exited the launcher, but the second-stage propellant ignition may have malfunctioned.

Personnel from the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) are analyzing the issue, Weng said, adding that the MK15 training rocket is not outfitted with an explosive warhead and landed more than 400 meters away in a safe area.

Maj. Liao Neng-cheng (廖能政), commander of the 58th Artillery Command's multiple rocket launcher company, said the drill validated the unit's regular training and demonstrated its determination to defend Taiwan.

He added that previous live-fire exercises required troops to enter positions a week in advance, but this time preparations were completed after arriving only one day before the drill.

After the Thunderbolt-2000 systems withdrew, troops operating M109A2 self-propelled howitzers conducted live-fire exercises against targets about 9 kilometers offshore.

Capt. Lin Chun-cheng (林俊呈), commander of an artillery company under the 586th Brigade, said rain made observation more difficult but added that the unit had prepared contingency plans and used the Team Awareness Kit (TAK) mobile system to maintain communications.