Taiwan’s ground forces are undergoing a significant restructuring to better integrate emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and drones as the island nation prepares for potential future conflicts with China. The Taiwan Ministry of National Defense reclassified its four armored brigades and three mechanized infantry brigades into combined arms brigades earlier this month, marking a strategic shift in military organization.
The restructuring aims to create more flexible, rapid-response units capable of working seamlessly with new weapons systems and AI-powered technologies. According to Taiwan’s Army, the change responds directly to enemy threats and future warfare scenarios. The new combined arms brigades mirror concepts from the US Army’s Brigade Combat Team, creating self-contained, self-sufficient mobile fighting forces.
Retired Australian Army Major General Mick Ryan, a defense strategist, explained that this reorganization provides “a foundation for the integration of new technologies, not just drones, but the use of AI in digital command and control systems, probably more air defense systems.” Ryan characterized the change as a crucial mindset shift that makes ground forces more adaptable and technologically capable.
The restructuring coincides with major weapons acquisitions, including 108 M1A2T Abrams tanks (80 delivered in late 2025, with the remainder expected early 2026), High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), various missile systems, and drone platforms. These represent Taiwan’s first new tanks in over 20 years and signal a comprehensive military modernization effort.
The combined arms brigade structure facilitates faster integration of new technologies by consolidating diverse capabilities under unified command, reducing inter-unit friction. This organizational approach enables quicker experimentation, smoother training, and easier absorption of AI-powered systems and autonomous platforms that will define future warfare.
Taiwan has also opened the Tangshan artillery training base in Tainan, designed for high-tech training on modern systems like HIMARS and Land Sword missiles. The military is expanding training for asymmetric warfare, including drone operations, coastal defense, and urban combat. Additionally, the US and Taiwan announced plans to co-produce 155mm artillery shells, with Taiwan’s defense ministry citing Ukraine’s ammunition consumption as evidence of sustained combat needs.
Key Quotes
It does provide a foundation for the integration of new technologies, not just drones, but the use of AI in digital command and control systems, probably more air defense systems.
Retired Australian Army Major General Mick Ryan, a defense strategist and expert, explained how Taiwan’s restructuring specifically enables AI integration. His assessment highlights that the organizational change is fundamentally about creating infrastructure for artificial intelligence adoption across military operations.
The change was in response to enemy threats and future warfare scenarios. They are intended to be flexible for rapid response.
Taiwan’s Army statement to CNA, the national news agency, directly connects the restructuring to anticipated future conflicts. This acknowledgment reveals that AI and drone capabilities are considered essential for Taiwan’s defense strategy against potential Chinese invasion.
Our Take
Taiwan’s military restructuring represents a sophisticated understanding that AI integration requires organizational change, not just technology acquisition. Many militaries purchase AI systems but struggle to deploy them effectively because existing command structures weren’t designed for autonomous technologies. By proactively reorganizing into combined arms brigades, Taiwan is creating the institutional flexibility necessary for AI adoption.
This approach mirrors broader trends in AI implementation across industries: successful integration requires rethinking workflows and organizational structures, not simply adding new tools to old systems. The military context makes this particularly urgent, as AI-powered warfare is evolving rapidly through real-world testing in Ukraine and elsewhere. Taiwan’s willingness to fundamentally restructure demonstrates recognition that AI will define future conflicts, and nations that fail to adapt organizationally will fall behind technologically, regardless of their AI investments.
Why This Matters
This restructuring represents a critical evolution in how modern militaries integrate AI and autonomous systems into traditional force structures. Taiwan’s approach offers a blueprint for other nations seeking to modernize their armed forces with emerging technologies while maintaining conventional capabilities.
The emphasis on AI-powered command and control systems signals that future warfare will increasingly rely on artificial intelligence for decision-making, targeting, and coordination across distributed forces. By creating organizational structures specifically designed to accommodate these technologies, Taiwan is addressing a challenge facing militaries worldwide: how to effectively integrate AI without disrupting existing operations.
The timing is significant as tensions with China remain high, and Taiwan’s military modernization directly impacts regional stability in the Indo-Pacific. The focus on rapid integration of drones and AI systems reflects lessons from Ukraine, where these technologies have proven decisive. This restructuring demonstrates how AI is becoming fundamental to military strategy, not just an add-on capability, influencing everything from unit organization to training protocols and procurement decisions.