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Taiwan races to catch up with mainland China’s military drone capabilities
- As the island’s defence ministry lays out ambitious plans for local and US-made drones, observers warn it is at least five years behind
- Operator training and recruitment as well as a joint effort by defence and civilian sectors to boost mass production capacity will be crucial, they say
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Lawrence Chungin Taipei
The Taiwanese military will bolster its combat drone capabilities as part of its defence strategy, but observers warn that it needs to move quickly, with its mainland counterpart already far ahead in its use of the technology.
The island’s defence ministry presented its plans, which included a mix of locally produced and US devices as well as a new training centre for operators, to Taiwan’s lawmakers on Wednesday.
The ministry said it will acquire an initial 3,225 micro and small military drones from local suppliers by 2025, plus 96 mid-sized surveillance and reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) by 2028, for a total of NT$6.6 billion (US$206 million).
Prototypes of 35 drones have completed testing and are ready for mass production, according to the report.
More powerful drones are on the way, with the government-funded National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology contracted to develop eight types of surveillance and attack UAVs, including the Type-2 suicide drone, the report said.
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Taiwan showcases combat drones as self-ruled island aims to bolster defences
Taiwan showcases combat drones as self-ruled island aims to bolster defences
Tentatively named the Loitering Missile II, the Type-2 was inspired by the US-made Switchblade 300, which proved effective in destroying Russian tanks and ground targets in the war in Ukraine.
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