Taiwan Holds Coastal Drill Simulating Defense Against Chinese Amphibious Assault Using Missiles, Drones, and Fast Patrol Boats

Taiwan’s military has staged a coastal defence exercise simulating the repulsion of a Chinese amphibious assault, integrating shore-launched missiles, attack drones and fast missile-armed patrol boats, according to Reuters.

The drill was conducted at a beach inside the Zuoying naval base in the southern port city of Kaohsiung, home to Taiwan’s main naval facilities. The scenario began with the detection of an unidentified vessel approaching from offshore, triggering a coordinated response involving naval, marine and land-based units.

Unmanned aerial vehicles were first deployed to carry out reconnaissance and identify the simulated hostile target. This was followed by coordinated strikes from sea and land, with fast attack craft manoeuvring close to shore while ground forces prepared missile and drone attacks.

During the exercise, Taiwanese forces used armed drones, sniper teams and mobile launchers firing domestically produced Hsiung Feng anti-ship missiles, highlighting the military’s emphasis on mobility, survivability and rapid decision-making in near-shore combat.

A Taiwanese military official told Reuters the drill demonstrated the armed forces’ ability to establish an effective “kill chain” — the process of detecting, tracking and engaging targets in quick succession — and to carry out coordinated interceptions close to the coast.

“This demonstrated the Navy’s multi-layered, multi-wave defensive combat effectiveness, as well as the Marine Corps’ combat power and resilience in rapidly taking control from both the sea and the land,” the official said.

The exercise comes amid heightened tensions across the Taiwan Strait. Beijing continues to claim Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to bring the self-governed island under its control, a position that Taipei firmly rejects.

Taiwan’s defence ministry has increasingly stressed the need for realistic training that reflects the possibility of a sudden assault or blockade, particularly along its coastline. Recent drills have focused on asymmetric warfare, including the use of drones, mobile missile systems and fast attack craft to counter a larger adversary.

The latest exercise also forms part of a broader defence modernisation drive. The Taiwanese government has proposed a defence budget of around $40 billion, featuring the acquisition of US-made systems and expanded joint production with Washington.

These efforts follow large-scale Chinese military drills around Taiwan late last year, which included scenarios simulating a blockade of the island’s key ports and intensified pressure on Taiwan’s air and maritime approaches.