The Han Kuang 42 live-troop military exercise commenced on August 5, 2026, and is scheduled to run for ten days and nine nights until August 14. To verify the rapid reaction capabilities of critical defense zones, Taiwan's Marine Corps conducted reinforcement operations on the first day of the drills, dividing their forces into land and air routes to move north. While the primary forces executed long-distance overland maneuvers from their station in Linyuan, Kaohsiung, other troops boarded two CH-47SD Chinook transport helicopters for a long-distance aerial mobilization.
According to reports from the field, the two CH-47SD transport helicopters flew in formation and landed directly in the Taipei area. The deployment focused on simulating immediate battlefield intervention by the Marine Corps during sudden threats to the political and economic center. The drill aimed to counter simulated enemy airborne drops or infiltration, securing strategic defense depth. Other military units also followed similar aerial mobilization patterns to reinforce key positions during the first day of the exercise.
Simultaneously, the Navy's Coastal Combat Force deployed mobile missile vehicle units in Kaohsiung around noon on August 5. At approximately 12:21 PM, four missile launcher trucks, one fire control command vehicle, and various support vehicles departed from the main gate of the Tsoying Naval Base in Kaohsiung's Tsoying District after completing preparation. These mobile units traveled to designated tactical positions to await subsequent strategic orders while preserving combat capabilities.
Following the early morning commands issued by the Hengshan Military Command Center, comprehensive combat deployments were initiated across all service branches. In addition to the naval and marine movements, naval vessels completed emergency preparations and left ports for designated anchorage areas. Air Force fighter jets executed tactical transfers to preserve combat capabilities, air defense forces deployed fully, and the Army set up defensive barriers and protected key installations to guard against potential sudden escalation.
