Taiwan begins live-fire precision ammunition drills at Jiupeng on August 20.

According to information published by CNA on August 15, 2024, a major live-fire precision ammunition exercise, involving both air and naval forces, is scheduled to commence on August 20 at Jiupeng, Pingtung.
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Hsiung Feng anti-ship missiles at NAVDEX 2017. (Picture source: Navy Recognition)

The drill will feature the firing of various missiles, including the Hsiung Feng anti-ship missiles, Patriot air defense missiles, and the Jian Xiang drones, among others. In addition, Coast Guard vessels will participate in the exercise, testing the "peacetime-to-wartime" transition by equipping and deploying anti-ship missiles alongside naval warships.

Amid increasing military pressure from the People's Republic of China, which has been conducting regular incursions into Taiwan's surrounding waters and airspace, and frequently crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait, these exercises are seen as critical for enhancing Taiwan's defensive readiness.

The continued development of domestically produced weapons and the acquisition of advanced foreign arms, combined with intensified training and structural reforms, are central to Taiwan's strategy to counter potential threats.

Sources familiar with the matter have confirmed that the exercise, part of Taiwan's annual training routine, will involve the live firing of several key missile systems, including the Hsiung Feng II and III anti-ship missiles, the Patriot II air defense missiles, and the Sky Bow III surface-to-air missiles.

The Jian Xiang drones, developed by Taiwan's National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, will also be utilized in the drills. These drones are currently available in anti-radiation and decoy configurations, with satellite-guided and target-image versions under development.

Another informed source revealed that a "classified missile type" would also be tested during the exercise, although further details were not disclosed due to the sensitive nature of the information.