The military is seeking to enhance cooperation with private-sector drone operators after civilian drones made an impressive performance in the 34th Han Kuang military exercises, a source said yesterday.
The latest iteration of the annual drill, which took place from June 1 to Friday last week, incorporated private drone operators and manufacturers, who flew reconnaissance missions in several stages, an official said on condition of anonymity.
Civilian drones and operators participated in the drills, with the latter incorporated into military units as uniformed personnel, an arrangement that delivered excellent results and was praised by the participants, the official said.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
As a result, the military is pursuing plans that would enhance military-private cooperation in drone operations, the official said, adding that the wartime mobilization of contracted civilian drone operators is among the proposals under consideration.
The military intends to compile a compendium of potential civilian drone assets and might sign open contracts with some to be on standby for wartime mobilization, the official said.
The nation’s annual military spending of US$10 billion is far less than China’s, and incorporating the private sector’s capabilities is an important step toward maximizing the nation’s resources, the official said, adding that capability gaps should be filled by private actors whenever possible.
For instance, civilian construction firms near air force bases were called on to participate in emergency runway repair drills during the exercise, the official said, adding that they also impressed the officials with their professionalism.
While the military is focusing on utilizing civilian capabilities for defense, incorporating contractors into the military’s mobilization plans remains controversial, the official said.
The military would need to comprehensively review its institutional practices before making such decisions, although it plans to make systematic changes to its mobilization plans, the official said.
In related news, the Civil Aeronautics Administration yesterday said that a forum on the innovative application of uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) is to be held today to help the government stipulate rules of enforcement when an amendment to the Civil Aviation Act (民用航空法) takes effect in July next year.
Before the government enforces the new regulations, it needs to stipulate rules governing the registration, inspection and certification of UAVs, as well as operator certification, the agency said.
The public and the UAV industry are mostly concerned about how the government would oversee UAVs use and their operators, and whether it could help develop services that use UAVs, the agency said, adding that it is to solicit advice on these topics from participants.
Experts and industry representatives at the forum are to introduce systematic applications of UAVs in a wide range of areas, the agency said, adding that participants would also be informed about the latest trends in UAV technical development and rules of enforcement.
UKRAINE, NVIDIA: The US leader said the subject of Russia’s war had come up ‘very strongly,’ while Jenson Huang was hoping that the conversation was good Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) and US President Donald Trump had differing takes following their meeting in Busan, South Korea, yesterday. Xi said that the two sides should complete follow-up work as soon as possible to deliver tangible results that would provide “peace of mind” to China, the US and the rest of the world, while Trump hailed the “great success” of the talks. The two discussed trade, including a deal to reduce tariffs slapped on China for its role in the fentanyl trade, as well as cooperation in ending the war in Ukraine, among other issues, but they did not mention
CALL FOR SUPPORT: President William Lai called on lawmakers across party lines to ensure the livelihood of Taiwanese and that national security is protected President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday called for bipartisan support for Taiwan’s investment in self-defense capabilities at the christening and launch of two coast guard vessels at CSBC Corp, Taiwan’s (台灣國際造船) shipyard in Kaohsiung. The Taipei (台北) is the fourth and final ship of the Chiayi-class offshore patrol vessels, and the Siraya (西拉雅) is the Coast Guard Administration’s (CGA) first-ever ocean patrol vessel, the government said. The Taipei is the fourth and final ship of the Chiayi-class offshore patrol vessels with a displacement of about 4,000 tonnes, Lai said. This ship class was ordered as a result of former president Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) 2018
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi yesterday lavished US President Donald Trump with praise and vows of a “golden age” of ties on his visit to Tokyo, before inking a deal with Washington aimed at securing critical minerals. Takaichi — Japan’s first female prime minister — pulled out all the stops for Trump in her opening test on the international stage and even announced that she would nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize, the White House said. Trump has become increasingly focused on the Nobel since his return to power in January and claims to have ended several conflicts around the world,
GLOBAL PROJECT: Underseas cables ‘are the nervous system of democratic connectivity,’ which is under stress, Member of the European Parliament Rihards Kols said The government yesterday launched an initiative to promote global cooperation on improved security of undersea cables, following reported disruptions of such cables near Taiwan and around the world. The Management Initiative on International Undersea Cables aims to “bring together stakeholders, align standards, promote best practices and turn shared concerns into beneficial cooperation,” Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said at a seminar in Taipei. The project would be known as “RISK,” an acronym for risk mitigation, information sharing, systemic reform and knowledge building, he said at the seminar, titled “Taiwan-Europe Subsea Cable Security Cooperation Forum.” Taiwan sits at a vital junction on
RSS