TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's military has demonstrated a significant tactical evolution by temporarily positioning advanced anti-armor weaponry at a key civilian transportation hub during recently concluded exercises. The comprehensive five-day "Immediate Combat Readiness Drill" (立即戰備操演), which ended Sunday (March 23), featured the strategic deployment of first-line anti-armor systems at Songshan Airport (松山機場), marking a notable departure from previous defense arrangements. President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) personally observed the Marine Corps' 66th Brigade during the exercises, specifically highlighting the presence of the formidable U.S.-developed FGM-148 Javelin missile system — a weapon that gained international recognition for its effectiveness during the initial phase of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Defense authorities underscored that the calculated positioning of these sophisticated weapons systems during the drill directly addresses emerging security concerns, fueling analysis regarding possible Chinese military designs on capturing the strategically valuable airport. The defensive configuration demonstrated represents a substantial shift in Taiwan's approach to protecting critical infrastructure. While the island's airport security forces have traditionally depended on anti-aircraft missile systems and artillery emplacements for protection against aerial threats, this unprecedented introduction of anti-armor capabilities into such installations signals a comprehensive reassessment of potential attack scenarios and corresponding defensive requirements.
The tactical significance of this defensive adjustment was contextualized by Assistant Professor Lin Ying-yu (林穎佑) from Tamkang University (淡江大學), who traced the evolution of China's airborne capabilities. Lin explained that the People's Liberation Army has methodically enhanced its paratroop units with specialized armored vehicles, a development stemming from collaborative training exercises conducted with Russian airborne forces dating back to the early 2000s. This steady military modernization effort has created forces specifically equipped for rapid seizure operations against targets like civilian airports, necessitating Taiwan's current defensive adaptations.
The potential threat has become increasingly apparent in recent months. Last year, in a highly publicized military inspection, Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) personally reviewed the latest generation of specialized paratrooper vehicles during military exercises. Defense analysts widely interpreted this demonstration as a thinly veiled message regarding China's developing capabilities for executing airborne assaults against Taiwanese transportation infrastructure, particularly its strategically vital airports that would be crucial for reinforcement and resupply during any conflict scenario.
The broader strategic implications were elaborated by Shu Hsiao-huang (舒孝煌), a research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research (INDSR, 國防安全研究院), who emphasized the critical military advantage gained by capturing operational airports during conflict. Shu drew explicit connections to recent warfare examples, pointing to the opening phase of the Russia-Ukraine conflict where control of airfields proved decisive for operational mobility. Professor Lin reinforced these observations by advocating for Taiwan's military leadership to maintain continuous evaluation of their defense transformation initiatives, particularly as evidence suggests China's military has accelerated preparations for potential offensive operations against the island.
While acknowledging Taiwan's enhanced emphasis on modern warfare domains, Chieh Chung (揭仲), a researcher at the Association of Strategic Foresight (中華戰略前瞻協會), identified critical gaps in the island's defense preparations. Chieh observed that despite greater attention to cyber capabilities and electronic warfare in strategic planning, front-line combat units still suffer from insufficient electronic warfare infrastructure and equipment. The analyst further cautioned that persistent personnel challenges throughout Taiwan's military establishment require urgent attention to ensure that sophisticated defense systems like the anti-armor weapons demonstrated during the drill can be effectively operated and maintained at optimal readiness levels during periods of heightened tension.
