Han Kuang Exercise: Swarm Drones Lead the Way, Forming Kill Chain with Composite Attacks

The Republic of China Armed Forces will conduct the Han Kuang 42 exercise from August 5 to August 14, lasting 10 days and 9 nights. A Ministry of National Defense (MND) official stated that as Taiwan's military strategy shifts toward asymmetric warfare, the application of low-cost, high-efficiency drones is a critical point of observation in this year's drill.

The official noted that drone warfare has become a prominent feature in global conflicts, and Taiwan has engaged in deep exchanges and shared experiences with other nations. However, combat capabilities cannot be developed simply by following trends or copying others.

The MND official emphasized that Taiwan cannot fully replicate the Ukrainian model, as geographical terrain and warfare patterns differ significantly. Therefore, Taiwan cannot directly adopt foreign strategies.

He further explained that Taiwan will not use a single drone to target one soldier or one tank. Drone attacks and firepower will always be part of a composite strategy, not isolated strikes. For example, when attacking a Chinese naval vessel at sea, the outer layers of defense must first be peeled away 'like an onion.' Drones will be deployed to draw enemy fire, gradually weakening defensive capabilities so that follow-up precision-strike systems can penetrate and destroy the target through carefully timed sequential attacks.

The official stated that large-scale 'swarm' drones will be used to attract enemy fire, thereby increasing the penetration rate of anti-ship missiles. Future operations will increasingly rely on such composite attack strategies.

While drone technology has only recently advanced, the past two years have focused primarily on personnel training and tactical proficiency—areas considered relatively basic. By the 2026 Han Kuang exercise, the military aims to establish a complete 'kill chain' from drone reconnaissance to strike, with greater emphasis on integrated and composite attack operations.

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