Taiwan's Army Command Headquarters marked its 80th anniversary on Thursday with a ceremony at Dahan Military Base that combined troop reviews, live-fire demonstrations, and the public unveiling of two previously undisclosed electronic warfare systems. The event, attended by several former army commanders, underscored the ground forces' ongoing push to modernize amid what officials described as a multidimensional threat from China.
Army Commander Warns of Threat to Taiwan's Will to Fight
Army Commander General Lu Kun-hsiu used the occasion to draw attention to what he called a threat beyond the military domain. Taiwan's adversary, he said, not only probes its air and maritime boundaries but is actively working to "erode our will to resist from within and blur national identity." Lu vowed that the army would hold itself to the strictest standards, and expressed confidence that the national flag would continue to fly across Taiwan, the Penghu Islands, Kinmen, and Matsu.
Electronic Warfare Vehicles Make First Public Appearance
The most closely watched items at the ceremony were a reconnaissance vehicle and a communications jamming vehicle, both appearing in public for the first time. The reconnaissance system operates across U/VHF frequency-hopping bands, with a detection range of 50 kilometers, and can determine the direction and distance of signal sources to support intelligence analysis. The jamming vehicle covers the same frequency bands with an effective suppression range of 20 kilometers, selectively disrupting enemy communications while leaving friendly frequencies intact.
Weapons on Display: HIMARS, M1A2T Tanks, Drone Squadrons
The ceremony featured static and dynamic displays of a broad array of equipment, including HIMARS multiple-launch rocket systems, M1A2T Abrams tanks, CM-34 Clouded Leopard armored vehicles, land-based Tien Chien II air defense missiles, TOW 2B anti-tank guided missiles, Thunderbolt 2000 rocket systems, and a range of unmanned aerial systems. Army Aviation assets — AH-64E Apache attack helicopters and UH-60 Black Hawks — participated in aerial demonstrations that included formation maneuvers and simulated drone strike scenarios.
Force Restructuring Targets Asymmetric Warfare and Gray-Zone Response
Lu outlined a force restructuring strategy centered on four priorities: developing asymmetric capabilities, strengthening defensive resilience, improving reserve forces, and building capacity to handle gray-zone operations. He said the army has been accelerating the retirement of what he called outdated, low-efficiency, and costly-to-maintain equipment, replacing it with platforms such as the M1A2T, HIMARS, and various unmanned systems.
Drones Identified as a Central Development Priority
Lu singled out drone integration as one of the army's most important current undertakings. Drone battalions have been established at each combat zone command, with drone companies formed at the brigade level. He said training has advanced from individual operator proficiency to tactical-level integration, with the goal of bringing unmanned systems to full combat-readiness. The army is also procuring additional drone types across multiple categories to accelerate that transition. （Related： Taiwan Can Build Satellites. Can It Build a Space Power? ｜ Latest ）
