Taiwan's Army conducts cross-region reinforcement drills

Taipei, July 17 (CNA) The Army Lanyang Regional Command based in Yilan County has completed rapid deployment and cross-region reinforcement drills as part of Taiwan's Joint Defense Exercises, which concluded Friday, the military said the same day.

After receiving the order to begin the drill, military personnel boarded military vehicles and headed for designated strategic positions, the Fourth Theater Command said.

Among them was a fleet of CM33 armored vehicles that drove in regular traffic through the Hsuehshan Tunnel on National Freeway No. 5 to arrive at a key reinforcement position in western Taiwan, the Fourth Theater Command said.

It was the first time CM33 armored vehicles had been deployed along the freeway and through the tunnel and demonstrated the military's ability to reinforce other operational areas, it said.

Other vehicles and artillery deployed in the drill included CM23 mortar carriers and 105-millimeter howitzers, it said.

The drill also tested the troops' command, control, communications and coordination capabilities, it said.

After arriving at the strategic position, which the command did not identify, military personnel started combat preparations, including camouflaging vehicles, establishing communications and deploying appropriate forces as required under defensive warfare scenarios.