Taiwan tests multiple attack drones in first joint combat drill

Taiwan's armed forces have carried out their first joint combat exercise involving several types of attack drones, President Lai Ching-te said, describing the move as a sign of the military's adjustment to the demands of contemporary warfare.

Lai made the remarks after overseeing three days of drills in the far south of the island. The exercises also featured launches of domestically developed Hsiung Feng III anti-ship missiles and HIMARS rockets manufactured by Lockheed Martin.

"In particular, this marks the first time the military has incorporated multiple types of attack drones into joint combat exercises," Lai told officers, according to a transcript released by his office. He added that the coordinated use of unmanned vehicles alongside conventional weapons reflects an adaptation to modern warfare.

Lai said precision firing exercises are essential for assessing the effectiveness of weapon systems. His office did not specify which drone types took part and released only images of the missiles.

Defence modernisation has been a central plank of Lai's agenda amid what his government describes as a rising threat from China. The push includes the development of drones and higher defence spending, a priority that US President Donald Trump has repeatedly urged on American allies.

Drones, prized for their relatively low cost, have become pivotal in combat operations in the war between Ukraine and Russia and in the Middle East. Taiwan has sought to draw lessons from those conflicts as it plans for contingencies.

Lai said the military is accelerating efforts to build combat capabilities, demonstrating that Taiwan "has the confidence and capability to defend national sovereignty and fulfil its responsibility for regional peace and stability".

He was accompanied by Defence Minister Wellington Koo, other senior security officials and Kuan Bi-ling, head of the Ocean Affairs Council, which runs the Coast Guard. The government has been working to integrate the Coast Guard more closely into overall defence planning, given the force would play an auxiliary role to the navy in a war. During Taiwan's main annual war games in August, a Coast Guard vessel was fitted with anti-ship missiles.

Lai and his administration reject Beijing's sovereignty claims, maintaining that only the people of Taiwan can determine their future.