This year’s 10-day live-fire Han Kuang drills are the longest yet and follow the delivery of a range of new weaponry from tanks to waterborne drones. The drills in Taiwan come as regional tensions and harassment by China and its People’s Liberation Army (PLA) are increasing.

Taiwan’s largest-ever Han Kuang military exercises are underway, with fighter jets redeploying to the east and ground forces simulating battlefield rescues to boost realism and readiness. The drills aim to test the military’s ability to respond quickly under pressure and show the public that both the threats and the country’s defense capabilities are real.