Taipei, May 21 (CNA) The live-fire phase of the annual Han Kuang exercises is set to kick off Monday, combining all branches of the armed forces in repelling a simulated blitzkrieg from China to test the the military's combat and defense capabilities.
As in previous years, the 33rd Han Kuang drills are divided into two parts: computer-simulated war games and live-fire exercises.
The computer war games began on May 1 and concluded on May 5. The live-fire drills will take place from Monday through Friday and involve all three branches of the military -- Army, Navy and Air Force -- to test their coordinated response to simulated assaults by China's People's Liberation Army (PLA).
This year's exercises will feature multi-directional attacks by PLA launched from sea and air, while the Republic of China (ROC) armed forces respond by undertaking a joint operation to repel enemy attacks.
The Marines will play PLA in an simulated amphibious attack, using a fleet of Taiwanese amphibious assault ships and landing crafts.
In an anti-amphibious landing exercise, the island's artillery and mortar units will be deployed to fend off the attacking forces and protect the nation's shores.
The Army's attack helicopters, M60A3 tanks, and Thunderbolt-2000 rocket artillery will also respond to repel landing troops and defeat the enemy.
One of the live-fire drills will be held Thursday on the outlying islands of Penghu in the Taiwan Strait, simulating a scenario in which the PLA launches an amphibious landing on Penghu.
President Tsai Ing-wen is expected to be present to observe the drill in Penghu.
On Friday, a drill will be staged in which the military forces fend off a blitzkrieg by PLA air forces on Ching Chuan Kang Air Base in Taichung.
Some of Taiwan's most advanced weapons systems are to be deployed as part of the drill to protect Ching Chuan Kang Air Base, including Mirage 2000s which will take off from Hsinchu Air Base, indigenous Defense Fighters (IDF) from Tainan Air Base, and F-16s from Hualien.
In addition, the Coast Guard Administration is scheduled to hold a defensive drill on Taiping Island, also known as Itu Aba, the largest island in the Spratly Islands (Nansha Islands) Wednesday through Friday.
