Taiwan's armed forces are preparing for the 42nd [1] edition of the Han Kuang military exercise starting this week.
The drills serve as a critical demonstration of deterrence and readiness against potential aggression from China. By integrating whole-of-society resilience and civil-military cooperation, Taiwan aims to strengthen its internal defenses and ensure the population can withstand a prolonged conflict.
Preparation for the exercise included joint drills held from July 13 to 17 [2]. During that period, the military mobilized high-impact weaponry, including HIMARS and Hsiung Feng anti-ship missile launchers [2]. These systems are central to the island's strategy of denying enemy access to its coastlines.
The scope of the 2026 exercises extends beyond traditional combat maneuvers. The military is incorporating U.S.-style training and a wide range of weapon systems and scenarios [3]. This includes the use of M109A2 self-propelled howitzers, which were utilized in live-fire training in Taichung in June 2026 [1].
Resilience is a primary focus for the Han Kuang 42 drills. To simulate the complexities of modern warfare, the exercise includes scenarios involving simulated internet disruption [4]. These drills test how government agencies and civilian infrastructure maintain operations when primary communication networks are compromised.
Training is taking place nationwide, with significant activity concentrated at training grounds in Taichung and other strategic sites [1, 2]. The Republic of China Armed Forces are using these simulations to refine the coordination between military units and civilian authorities, ensuring a unified response to emergency situations.
Officials said the exercises are designed to improve the overall defense posture of the island. By testing both high-end missile systems and basic societal resilience, the military seeks to create a multi-layered defense that can adapt to various combat environments [1, 2].
“The drills serve as a critical demonstration of deterrence and readiness against potential aggression from China.”
The shift toward 'whole-of-society resilience' and the simulation of internet disruptions indicate that Taiwan is preparing for 'gray zone' warfare—tactics that fall short of full-scale invasion but aim to destabilize the state. By combining advanced U.S. weaponry like HIMARS with civilian infrastructure drills, Taiwan is signaling a strategy of asymmetric defense designed to make any potential offensive operation costly and difficult to sustain.
