Taiwan's army on Thursday displayed the fire power of its first U.S.-sourced M1A2T Abrams tanks — a traditional weapon analysts say will need to be increasingly protected against drones in any future battle given lessons from the Ukraine war.

Four Abrams tanks were shown maneuvering across a mud-choked army training ground in Hsinchu county, firing at moving and static targets, on the second day of Taiwan's annual military exercises that are designed to test the island's resilience in a conflict with China.

Wearing a combat helmet, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te observed the firing, saying later that with "every increase in the military's combat power, the nation and its people gain an extra layer of security."