As the 40th edition of the Han Kuang military exercises entered its second day, a number of training exercises had to be canceled on Tuesday morning due to the approach of Typhoon Gaemi.
The exercises originally scheduled at the Hualien Air Force Base included emergency fighter jet takeoffs, mid-air refueling drills, and runway checks. However, due to the influence of the typhoon, only runway readiness drills were being conducted.
Answering media inquiries as to whether the incoming typhoon would impact the military exercises, Defense Ministry Spokesperson Sun Li-fang (孫立方) stated that potential typhoon impacts had already been accounted for during the planning stages. Military exercises will be adjusted according to command directives and existing disaster response procedures. This approach includes ongoing assessments to determine the feasibility of conducting training missions and the preparedness of disaster relief forces.
With reporters raising additional concerns regarding whether military exercises should be canceled as a whole due to the typhoon, Sun responded that the Han Kuang military exercises are meant to put real troops in real time at actual locations, aiming to maximize readiness in realistic scenarios without having to undergo actual combat. Risk management principles will be implemented as training under realistic scenarios, including poor weather conditions, help to provide officers and soldiers diverse training opportunities.