Taiwan Launches Combat Readiness Drill

Taiwan’s military launched a five-day Immediate Combat Readiness Exercise on 22 June 2026 across the island. The drill runs until 26 June 2026 and includes rapid mobilisation, battlefield deployment, joint operations, command coordination, logistical sustainment, and battlefield preparation.

Exercise Design and Operational Features

The exercise uses real personnel, actual terrain, and operational equipment. It is structured around realistic war scenarios and tests the transition from peacetime to wartime operations. Units are moving to designated defensive positions during the drill.

Units and Equipment Involved

Combat units from the 269th Mechanised Infantry Brigade took part in the exercise. CM32, CM33, and CM34 Clouded Leopard eight-wheeled armoured vehicles were observed moving to defensive positions in Qingpu, Taoyuan. The Clouded Leopard series is a family of armoured fighting vehicles used by Taiwan’s Army.

Background of the Drill

The Immediate Combat Readiness Exercise was first initiated in March 2025 by Minister of National Defence Wellington Koo. The drill was introduced in response to China’s grey-zone harassment, a term used for coercive actions below the threshold of open war. Taiwan’s larger annual Han Kuang military drills are scheduled for August 2026.

Important Facts for Exams

• Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence is the civilian authority responsible for defence administration in Taiwan.
• The Han Kuang military drills are Taiwan’s main annual war games and have been conducted for decades.
• Grey-zone tactics include military pressure, air patrols, naval presence, and other coercive actions below declared war.
• The Clouded Leopard armoured vehicle family includes the CM32, CM33, and CM34 variants used by Taiwan’s mechanised units.

Chinese Military Activity Near Taiwan

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence detected 21 to 23 Chinese military aircraft and several naval vessels near the island on 21 and 22 June 2026. Taiwan’s defence planning includes scenarios in which a routine Chinese drill could turn into an attack with little warning.