00:00Taiwan's annual spring military exercises ran from Tuesday to Thursday this week,
00:08giving the world a glimpse into the country's military.
00:11F-16s were scrambled in southern Taiwan,
00:14responding to a simulated attack by Chinese aircraft.
00:19With ground crews practicing loading weapons,
00:22like air-to-air missiles that track targets.
00:306-15分钟内, you just need to get ready to fly.
00:33Through this training, you can see our military training in the military.
00:39Taiwan also unveiled new cold-weather fly suits.
00:42The new kit built as a way to keep Taiwan's pilots warm,
00:46a sign that its military is taking safety seriously,
00:50less than a month after an F-16 pilot was lost in a crash at sea.
00:54But while the suits may improve survivability,
00:57experts say the Air Force needs to do more
00:59to address the issues behind the crash.
01:0135mm anti-aircraft cannons and missiles
01:31took out their targets,
01:32showing Taiwan is adapting older systems for new roles,
01:36maximizing its military firepower
01:38in the face of a growing threat from China,
01:40which claims Taiwan as its territory
01:42and has threatened to take it by force.
01:45This deterrence capability is especially evident
01:48when the system is equipped with missiles
01:50that could form block barrages.
01:52The drills also feature extensive use of drones,
02:10which Taiwan hopes can help level the playing field
02:12against China's far larger military.
02:14These drones were used alongside systems
02:17from the Navy and Army,
02:19with some even malfunctioning at critical moments,
02:22reflecting the chaotic nature of real warfare.
02:24A second launch was successful.
02:43Experts say attack drones should be treated like bullets,
02:46expendable and easy to replace.
02:48They're meant to work alongside higher-end,
02:50big-ticket systems like the HIMARS rocket launcher,
02:54also tested during the drills,
02:56delivering long-range precision firepower.
02:59So actually this springtime is quite important.
03:01It's important to hope that it will be
03:03to give to these people,
03:04to convey our weapons to use.
03:09The three-day exercises involve the Army, Navy,
03:19and Air Force.
03:21The military aims to demonstrate heightened security
03:23ahead of the Lunar New Year
03:24and showcase Taiwan's overall defense capabilities.
03:28Fu Hua Hong and Ellen Lu for Taiwan Plus.
Comments