The 36th edition of Taiwan's 36th Han Kuang military exercise sees the deployment of joint battalions, special forces, air force, navy, and other units. The exercise took place from the 13th to the 17th of July. Military sources said the first day was spent in simulating an invasion by China’s People’s Liberation Army.
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Taiwanese marines storm a beach during the annual Han Kuang training exercise (Picture source: REDDIT )

The 36th Han Kuang exercise was featuring four historical firsts: the deployment of joint battalions, cooperative training of three special forces teams, torpedo target practice, and live-fire drills with reserve units, the Taiwan News reports.

The first joint battalion was established in September 2019. To date, four armored brigades, three aircraft, and the Guandu Command have set up their own battalions. The U.S. and other countries are now taken in example by the Taiwanese army in terms of combined training in order to improve interoperability between branches.

In order to simulate senior officials being captured and important government agencies being attacked by the enemy, the Military Police Special Services Company (aka Night Hawks), National Police Agency’s Special Operations Group (aka Thunder Squad), and the Coast Guard Administration’s Special Task Unit trained together for the first time, Taiwan News reports. There were indeed coastal drills, such as anti-beach landing and air defense maneuvers, and defensive drills held at Tamsui River and Taipei Port.

A Chien Lung-class submarine test-fired a German-made surface and underwater target at the decommissioned Knox-class frigate Hai Yang. This was the first time a torpedo was fired to sink a target ship since 2007.

This year’s exercise also put the nation’s reserve mobilization capabilities to the test. Taiwan can currently mobilize about 200,000 reserve forces.