Taiwan Military Conducts Week-Long Joint Defense and Reinforcement Drills

The Military of Taiwan conducted a series of joint defense and cross-regional reinforcement exercises from July 13 to July 19, 2026. The drills focused on integrating the capabilities of three military branches and testing decentralized command-and-control systems to maintain independent operations during the simulated detection of hostile vessels in territorial waters.

Key maneuvers included the Marine Corps conducting mobile reinforcements from southern Taiwan to the Nangang and Xizhi districts of the Taipei metropolitan area. The Army Lanyang Regional Command and Fourth Theater Command deployed CM33 armored vehicles, CM23 mortar carriers, and 105-millimeter howitzers, marking the first time CM33 vehicles were moved through the Hsuehshan Tunnel to reach strategic positions in western Taiwan. Additional movements involved transporting battle tanks and artillery from Hualien to Suao Township via the Suhua Highway.

To simulate the expulsion of enemy forces, troops were deployed to Orchid and Green Islands. Researchers from the Institute for National Defense and Security Research emphasized that these live exercises are critical for identifying discrepancies between theoretical plans and actual ground conditions, citing a 2025 incident where a Patriot missile launcher became stuck in New Taipei's Xindian District. Experts noted that securing Orchid Island is particularly vital to prevent it from becoming a staging area for Chinese helicopter units to reinforce troops on Taiwan's main island.