Taiwan is developing another, more destructive suicide drone. It won’t fit in a backpack
- The Type 2 aerial weapon is part of Taipei’s bid to boost its asymmetric warfare capabilities amid increasing harassment from the PLA
- The UAV can operate manually or autonomously, and can be launched from land, sea or air
The aerial weapon under development is a more powerful variant of the Loitering Unmanned Aircraft Type 1, which was inspired by the US-made Switchblade 300, a drone that has proven effective in destroying Russian tanks and ground targets in the war in Ukraine.
Tentatively named the “Loitering Missile II”, the Type 2 suicide drone will be equipped with built-in warheads, and will be capable of lingering near a target until the moment it strikes, by flying into it.
The Type 2 – a much larger version of the miniature Type 1 – can be launched from different platforms to amplify its destructive power, according to the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, the island’s top weapons builder.
“Type 2 is a high mobility munition that can be easily repositioned because its foldable wings allow for efficient transport,” said Chi Li-pin, director of the Institute’s aeronautical systems research division.
