Overview
- Taiwan’s military completed a three-day exercise in southern Pingtung that on Friday included, for the first time, joint combat maneuvers integrating multiple types of attack drones, the presidential office said.
- The drills featured launches of domestically built Hsiung Feng III anti-ship missiles and U.S.-made HIMARS rocket systems and also involved anti-air, anti-ship and anti-landing missile firings.
- President Lai described the operations as evidence of modernisation and said they demonstrate the coordinated use of unmanned vehicles with conventional weapons, though his office did not identify the drone models used.
- Officials said additional training will continue next week, including more HIMARS exercises, Stinger missile simulators and greater Coast Guard integration into defence planning.
- The timing of the exercises is a signal ahead of the Sept. 24 Trump–Xi summit because U.S. arms sales and Taiwan’s security are expected to figure in talks and the drills could shape diplomatic leverage and Beijing’s response.