The Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense (MND) announced on April 9th that the Han Kuang 40 exercises will incorporate lessons from Ukraine and the Middle East, China’s current threat composition, and Taiwan’s military capabilities.
The exercise will consist of two parts: a computer simulation, which will take place from April 19th to April 26th, and the field exercise component, which will take place from July 22nd to 26th.
The first part of the exercise will simulate the islands resisting a blockade as well as the Chinese military using annual military exercises to launch a potential surprise attack. The computer exercise will last for eight days and seven nights, for 24 hours a day.
The MND specifically identified civilian Roll-On-Roll-Off vessels as key threats since the Chinese military could easily transport armored vehicles and troops with them.
The field exercises will incorporate decentralized decision-making and use aircraft, naval vessels, and land-based missile systems to protect shipping and break a blockade. Han Kuang will also incorporate civil defense aspects during the field exercise portion, focusing on firefighting capabilities, coordination among emergency services, and evacuating and housing civilians during air attacks.
