Free Lectures" Looking at the defense of the whole society from Hanguang combined with urban resilience drills

The Ministry of National Defense announced the review of the urban resilience exercise on October 20, stating that it will be combined with the Hanguang exercise next year to further verify the military-civilian integration mechanism. In the past, the national army's combat drills and the local government's disaster prevention drills had different command systems. The Hanguang drill focused on military operations, while the urban resilience drill involved people's evacuation, medical rescue, and facility operations. When the two are combined, it means that national defense preparedness no longer only involves troops fighting, but also must test whether local and key facilities can operate in wartime. However, arranging the two exercises at the same time does not mean that the integration is completed. The test lies in establishing a consistent situation and clarifying rights and responsibilities.

Modern warfare is no longer limited to frontline battles. The enemy may simultaneously put pressure on transportation hubs, energy facilities and communication networks. For the national army, troop mobility and casualty evacuation rely on civilian support; for local governments, evacuation shelter and material distribution also face wartime challenges. Therefore, military-civilian integration cannot stop at displaying established subjects in order, but should examine how various agencies exchange information, adjust resources, and maintain necessary services when communications are blocked, roads are interrupted, and medical needs surge.

It is worth considering that the task priorities of military units and local governments may not be consistent. During wartime, troops need roads to maneuver, and local governments also need the same roads to evacuate residents; the medical system also faces manpower constraints to treat the wounded. Who coordinates resource allocation? How can the military assist local areas without affecting its main mission? These issues cannot be negotiated on an ad hoc basis until a crisis occurs. Moreover, the resources of each county and city vary greatly. A mature exercise should allow the tested units to face unknown situations and discover gaps in the system, rather than using neat scenes as the only criterion.

National defense is to let everyone know their own mission in a crisis. Military combat readiness and social resilience truly form a mutual support system, which is the most important strategic value of the combination of exercises.

Combining the two exercises is an important opportunity to test the defense resilience of the whole society. It is recommended to establish joint evaluation indicators across ministries, clearly distinguish the rights and responsibilities of military command and administrative coordination, and conduct verification against communication interruptions and damage to facilities. National defense does not require everyone to become a soldier, but allows everyone to know their tasks in a crisis. When military combat readiness and social resilience truly form a mutual support system, it is the most important strategic value of the combination of exercises.