Taiwan's military readiness drills kicked off with air and ground forces showcasing their defense capabilities; while disruptions by the PLA patrols highlight Taiwan’s strategic focus on mountain defense.

Taiwan's annual Lunar New Year military readiness exercises have begun, involving both the army and air force. However, the exercises faced disruption from the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), which carried out a joint combat readiness patrol near Taiwan. The Defense Ministry stated it has been closely monitoring the situation.

As Indigenous Defense Fighter (IDF) jets, armed with Sky Sword I and II missiles, conducted emergency takeoff drills at dusk, the Army carried out live-fire exercises. Artillery barrages shook the ground as special forces practiced maneuvers to defend strategic targets. Black Hawk helicopters deployed troops into simulated combat scenarios, with suppressive fire from CM11 tanks and armored vehicles. Apache helicopters also joined the coordinated ground-to-air defense efforts, while infantry units conducted mountainous terrain defense exercises with 60mm mortars and light machine guns.

Despite these efforts, Taiwan’s Control Yuan has raised concerns about the adequacy of equipment against PLA threats, recommending additional drones and shoulder-fired weapons. Meanwhile, the PLA intensified its incursions, with multiple aircraft and naval vessels crossing the Taiwan Strait median line.

As Taiwan emphasizes mountain defense due to its terrain, the focus now shifts to how the Defense Ministry will adapt to evolving threats.