Taiwan Air Force Simulates Drone Swarm Defense at Chiayi Base During Han Kuang Exercise

Taiwan's Air Force base in Chiayi conducted a realistic drill simulating a large-scale drone attack by Chinese forces as part of the ongoing Han Kuang military exercises. The exercise aimed to test the base's defenses against a coordinated swarm of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) designed to paralyze F-16 fighter jet operations.

To counter the simulated threat, the base integrated the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology's (NCSIST) "Remote Controlled UAV Defense System" with its existing air defense capabilities and personnel armed with handheld jammers. This combined approach, referred to as "soft and hard kill" methods, was employed to protect critical assets and ensure the operational readiness of the base.

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The Air Force Fourth Wing conducted an offensive-defensive exercise on the 'UAV countermeasure and base defense' subject. This exercise integrated the 'Remote Controlled UAV Defense System' developed by NCSIST to jointly verify the joint defense mechanism of 'early warning detection, command and control, and interception disposal', ensuring the safety of important military key infrastructure.

The drill involved multiple stages, beginning with early warning detection and precise positioning of incoming drones. Once identified, base defenders utilized "soft kill" tactics by employing handheld jammers to disrupt the drones' control signals and GPS navigation, forcing them to land or return to their origin. Simultaneously, "hard kill" measures involved coordinating with the base's air defense artillery to physically intercept any remaining threats.

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When low-altitude unidentified drones invade the base airspace, the base defense forces first use NCSIST's 'Remote Controlled UAV Defense System' for all-weather search and precise positioning; then, based on the threat level, personnel flexibly deploy 'soft and hard kill' dual methods; in terms of 'soft kill' countermeasures, personnel quickly use handheld jammers to block the drone control signal and GPS, forcing it to land or return; for 'hard kill', they coordinate with the base's air defense firepower for physical interception, ensuring that the core defense targets are not threatened.

Air Force Commander General Cheng Jung-feng had previously overseen a similar UAV defense drill at the Chiayi base in late July, inviting civilian companies to operate drones as mock attackers. The Han Kuang exercise on August 11th served as a live-fire validation of these defense protocols, demonstrating the military's commitment to adapting to emerging threats. The Air Force emphasized that UAVs have become a significant battlefield disruptor in recent international conflicts, making the enhancement of airbase defense against them an urgent priority.

The exercise successfully validated an integrated process of detection, command, control, jamming, and interception. This comprehensive approach aims to bolster the grassroots units' ability to respond effectively to low-altitude, saturated drone attacks, ensuring the security of key military infrastructure.

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UAVs have become an emerging threat that changes the rules of the battlefield in international conflicts in recent years, and enhancing the UAV defense capabilities of air bases is urgent.