Taiwan’s military has conducted its first joint combat exercise involving multiple types of attack drones, as President Lai Ching-te said the drills demonstrated the armed forces’ adaptation to modern warfare.
The three-day exercise in southern Taiwan also featured domestically developed Hsiung Feng III anti-ship missiles and HIMARS rockets made by Lockheed Martin.
Lai, who has made defence modernisation a key priority amid rising tensions with China, said precision-firing exercises were essential for testing the effectiveness of weapons systems.
“This marks the first time the military has incorporated multiple types of attack drones into joint combat exercises,” Lai said, according to a transcript of his remarks released by the presidential office.
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He added that combining unmanned systems with conventional weapons reflected the military’s response to changing battlefield conditions.
The presidential office did not disclose the types of drones used, but released images of the missile launches.
Drones have become increasingly important in conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, prompting Taiwan to study lessons from those wars as it develops its defence plans.
Lai said the military was accelerating efforts to strengthen its capabilities and demonstrate its ability to defend Taiwan’s sovereignty and contribute to regional peace and stability.
He was accompanied by Defence Minister Wellington Koo, senior security officials and Kuan Bi-ling, head of Taiwan’s Ocean Affairs Council, which oversees the Coast Guard.
Taiwan has been working to integrate the Coast Guard more closely into its broader defence planning, given its potential supporting role alongside the navy during a conflict.
During the island’s main annual military exercises in August, a Coast Guard vessel was equipped with anti-ship missiles.
Lai and his government reject Beijing’s sovereignty claims over Taiwan, saying the island’s future should be decided by its people.
