Two army brigades launched a week-long live-fire exercise in central Taiwan on Saturday after a six-year hiatus to test the combat readiness of ground troops amid the rising military threat from China.
The seven-day drill carried out by the Taoyuan-based 269th Mechanized Infantry Brigade and the Kaohsiung-based Republic of China (ROC) Marine Corps’ 99th brigade simulates combat scenarios in Chiayi County, with the central Taiwan-based 10th Army Corps Command presiding over the exercise.
According to the scenario, the 269th Mechanized Infantry Brigade is designated the defending “blue team” while the 99th brigade acts as the invading “red team.”
Photo courtesy of Military News Agency
The ongoing drill titled “Chang Ching” (長青), or “evergreen,” is to test the command efficiency of both brigades.
This is the first time since 2017 a Chang Ching drill has been held independently. In the past five years, the army incorporated the Chang Ching drill into other annual military exercises.
Institute for National Defense and Security Research fellow Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲) said the army used to hold annual Chang Ching exercise in central Taiwan, Chang Tai (長泰) in northern Taiwan, and Chang Shang (長勝) in southern Taiwan to test troops’ joint-exercise capabilities to combat a Chinese invasion.
The brigade-level exercise tests whether each unit is sufficiently trained on intelligence, command, interception, communication and logistic support in the event of a cross-Taiwan Strait war, Su said.
In the ongoing Chang Ching drill, the 269th Mechanized Infantry Brigade is equipped with variants of the domestic Clouded Leopard armored vehicle, as well as the latest drones, which are expected to undergo rigorous tests during the week-long exercise, Su said.
US military consultants are likely to preside over the exercises with Taiwanese military personnel, he added.
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