Taiwan Conducts Air Defense Exercise
Short-Range Air Defense of Air Force Base
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2 February 2025 (Sunday)
Taiwan Conducts Air Defense Exercise
Short-Range Air Defense of Air Force Base
By Wendell Minnick (Whiskey Mike) 顏文德
TAIPEI - Taiwan conducts short-range air defense exercise for Chinese New Year.
Chinese New Year Exercise on 1 February 2025.
Rough translation of Taiwan Ministry of National Defense press release:
Air Force air defense forces conduct live-fire exercises to demonstrate strong combat effectiveness
(Reporter Lin Tinghui, Pingdong, January 1) To verify the training results of the air force base, the air defense unit conducted a live-fire drill before the Spring Festival. By combining day and night training, they successfully completed a series of tests, enhancing rapid response and shooting accuracy.
This live-fire drill was planned by the Defense Training Center's Command and released based on company combat instructors and dynamic conditions, simulating actual combat scenarios. The participating units' 35mm air defense guns [based on the Oerlikon GDF-006 anti-aircraft gun] and T82 20mm Twin-mounted anti-aircraft guns [a derivative of the T75 gun system with an electro-optical guidance system housed on the gunner's helmet. The helmet sight automatically directs the servo motors that control gun movements, which can also be operated manually. An off-site optical guidance system with infra-red night targeting is also available for remote control]. completed equipment inspections, joint training, and radar assembly according to procedure. During the preparation process, the soldiers divided the ammunition into sections. Once the target aircraft entered the firing range, they pressed the launch button to create a bullet screen with intense firepower, precisely destroying the target aircraft, completing the shooting mission, and showcasing their training results.
In recent years, the experience of the Russo-Ukrainian War has highlighted the multiple applications of drones in modern warfare, including reconnaissance, attack, and logistics transportation. Facing increasing low-altitude threats, countries are refocusing on the tactical value of medium and small-caliber anti-aircraft guns. Lieutenant Colonel Shao, the commander of the participating forces, noted that modern air defense operations require a multi-layered air defense system combined with strong electronic warfare capabilities and intelligence support to effectively address diverse air threats and further enhance the survivability and effectiveness of air defense forces.
Sergeant Xu, the commander of 20 cannons, also stated that air defense forces need to address various challenges posed by aerial threats. Therefore, the troops must conduct pre-training programs, equipment ammunition inspection, and firing procedures to ensure that personnel are familiar with all combat processes and maintain rapid response capabilities and shooting accuracy in various situations.
The Nationalist Army continued to conduct readiness training even before the Spring Festival to continuously enhance its defensive combat capabilities, without relaxing due to holidays. During training, multiple scenario simulations were specially designed to emphasize "real-world" exercises, ensuring rapid responses and precise engagements in complex combat environments, thereby demonstrating the air defense force's high sense of mission and professionalism to safeguard national security.
All photographs taken by MND: Lin Tinghui, a journalist from Military News Agency:
