Taiwan’s military will begin a five-day Immediate Combat Readiness Exercise on June 22 to test how quickly active-duty units can shift from peacetime posture to wartime deployment, the Ministry of National Defense said on June 21.
The drill, which runs through June 26, is part of the armed forces’ annual planned joint-operations training. The ministry said the exercise is intended to strengthen high-readiness response capability and verify joint combat effectiveness.
The announcement did not describe the drill as a response to a specific Chinese military action.
Central News Agency, citing military sources, reported that the planned drill focuses on early readiness measures by standing forces during a stage of attack in which Beijing has taken initial action but opposing forces have not yet launched. Contingency versions would be held if the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) announces targeted military exercises or live-fire activity aimed at Taiwan, the report said.
Planned Readiness Drill
The Immediate Combat Readiness Exercise will train units at all levels to become familiar with combat practices and battlefield conditions during the readiness-deployment phase, according to the defense ministry.Its stated focus includes rapid peacetime-to-wartime transition and priority deployment.
Scenario-based prompts will direct units through joint-operation subjects. The exercise is being conducted through “actual troops, actual terrain, real time, actual equipment, and actual implementation,” according to the announcement.
The drill also focuses on joint operations command and control, logistical sustainment, and battlefield preparation.
Summer Training Calendar
The June exercise is the first major step in a summer training sequence that also includes a July joint-defense exercise and the annual Han Kuang live-force drills in August, Central News Agency reported.The July exercise can be viewed as a warm-up for Han Kuang and is intended to test joint defense and command mechanisms if opposing forces are detected departing and entering waters near Taiwan, according to the outlet.
An April 2 defense ministry briefing on Han Kuang 42 said the annual war games would include a computer-assisted command-post phase from April 11 to April 24, followed by live-force drills later in the year.
The next scheduled step in Taiwan’s summer training calendar is the July joint-defense exercise, prior to the Han Kuang live-force drills in August.