Taiwan to Suspend Mobile Internet for Urban Resilience Drills; Indigenous Submarine Delivery Unscheduled

URBAN RESILIENCE: The exercises are to test the military’s command-and-control backup capabilities under specific operational scenarios, the defense minister said

By Hollie Younger / Staff writer, with CNA

Mobile Internet would be temporarily suspended to simulate network disruptions during the Urban Resilience Exercises next month, but fixed-line connection would not be affected, Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo （顧立雄） said yesterday.

The drill — which is to be held in conjunction with the annual Han Kuang military exercises — is to test the military’s command-and-control backup capabilities under specific operational scenarios, he told reporters before a legislative committee meeting.

Fourteen administrative regions across northern and central Taiwan are to simulate disruptions to mobile Internet as part of next month’s nationwide air raid drills, with mobile users limited to voice calls and text messages for 30 minutes, the National Communications Commission said.

Fixed-line communications would not be affected, Koo said.

The Ministry of National Defense is to develop a more comprehensive plan based on the results of these exercises before expanding the drills to other regions, he added.

The first drill is to be held on Aug. 10 from 2:30pm to 3pm in central Taiwan, affecting Taichung, Chiayi city and county, and Miaoli, Changhua, Nantou and Yunlin counties.

In northern Taiwan, the drill is to be held on Aug. 13 from 2:30pm to 3pm, covering Taipei, New Taipei City, Keelung, Taoyuan, Hsinchu city and county, and Yilan County.

During the drills or in an actual emergency, people should seek shelter in basements or designated air raid shelters, follow pre-saved maps or on-site shelter signs, and comply with instructions from police and civil defense personnel, New Taipei City police said.

Koo also addressed troop concerns, saying that the armed forces are currently staffed at about 80 percent of authorized strength, but would continue adjusting and consolidating unit assignments as needed.

Taiwan and the US continue to strengthen their joint operational capabilities through existing military exchanges, professional training and cooperation, he said, adding that they would maintain the partnership to improve combat readiness.

At the meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, Koo told lawmakers that the ministry has not set a timetable for the delivery of its first indigenous submarine, the Hai Kun （Narwhal, 海鯤）, as the vessel is still undergoing sea trials.

The submarine is currently undergoing submerged sea trials, with safety and quality remaining the military’s top priorities, he said.

It will next undergo deep-water diving tests, but “no deadline has been set,” Koo said, rejecting media speculation that it would be delivered to the navy late next month or in early September.

The vessel first completed several surface navigation trials before entering submerged testing, the navy said.

After equipment adjustments and additional work in dry dock, it is expected to conduct shallow-water dives at depths of about 50m before proceeding to deep-water tests of about 200m.

The submarine must also complete operational evaluations before finishing its sea acceptance trials and becoming eligible for delivery to the navy.