PLA drones may be spying on Taiwan’s missile drills

PLA drones may be spying on Taiwan’s missile drills

2026-09-18

President Lai Ching-Te inspected joint precision-missile live-fire drills firing exercise at the Jiupeng Military Base in Pingtung County on Friday morning. The drills included Hsiung Feng III and Hsiung Feng II anti-ship missile systems, as well as High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, all of which hit their targets. The Ministry of National Defense discovered that a PLA drone was operating off the east coast of Taiwan, seemingly to monitor Taiwan’s missile firing activities.

Hsiung Feng III missile accurately hit its target. Taiwan’s Armed Forces conducted joint precision-missile live-fire drills, which President Lai Ching-te personally oversaw at the Jiupeng Base in Pingtung County.

During the drills, Hsiung Feng III, Hsiung Feng II and HIMARS anti-ship missiles, were launched in turn, all accurately hitting their targets. In addition to traditional missile firepower, multiple drones including the “Switchblade” were also deployed in the exercise to attack maritime targets, demonstrating the Armed Forces’ joint strike capability by combining precision firepower with unmanned vehicles.

Lai Ching-te
President
All training exercises have successfully achieved their objectives. The National Armed Forces are accelerating the enhancement of their overall combat capabilities and are capable of defending national sovereignty and fulfilling their responsibilities for regional peace and stability. Peace is hard-won and requires firm resolve and sufficient strength to safeguard it.

In addition to inspecting the live-fire drills, President Lai also distributed extra allowances to soldiers ahead of Mid-Autumn Festival to reward their hard work. However, while he was inspecting the center, the PLA deployed drones to operate in the waters off Eastern Taiwan.

According to the Ministry of National Defense’s announcement of the PLA aircraft and ship movements, a PLA drone flew from Taiwan’s southwestern ADIZ to the east of Taitung in the early morning, coinciding with the timing of the ROC military’s exercises, suggesting an attempt to monitor Taiwan’s missile firing activities.

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