Taiwan’s top military research body yesterday unveiled nine domestically developed drones in Taichung, including a loitering munition, or “suicide drone,” similar to the US-made AeroVironment Switchblade 300.
The surveillance and attack drones shown to the media by the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology included the Albatross medium-range uncrewed aerial vehicle Nos. 1 and 2, and the Teng Yun 2 and Cardinal 2 and 3 indigenous uncrewed combat aerial vehicles.
The institute also unveiled a domestically made drone inspired by the AeroVironment Switchblade 300, which Ukrainian forces have employed in the country’s war with Russia.
Photo: CNA
Aeronautical Systems Research Division head Chi Li-pin (齊立平) told reporters that the miniature loitering munition has a range of 10km, can fly for 15 minutes and can fit inside a rucksack.
The device, which has a high-performance electro-optical and infrared sensor, can be carried by a single soldier and can destroy high-value, high-risk vehicles as well as target personnel, Chi said.
“It is like a large grenade capable of flying,” Chi said.
Photo: Chiang Ying-ying, AP
The “suicide” drone would be well suited for attacking coastal and near-shore enemy targets, he said, adding that it was compatible with Taiwan’s military needs with regards to conducting asymmetrical warfare against a much stronger rival.
Institute president Art Chang (張忠誠) said that the war in Ukraine had focused attention on drones and his institution has teamed up with Taiwanese companies to build a “national team” to develop military drones.
The military has announced a partnership with companies aimed at producing 3,000 drones next year.
Photo: Chiang Ying-ying, AP
Separately yesterday, Minister of National Defense Chiu Kuo-cheng (邱國正) said that the military would adjust its deployments in Kinmen County amid security concerns after a missing soldier was later confirmed alive in China.
Chiu made the comment on the sidelines of a legislative session while discussing the case of a private first class surnamed Chen (陳), who was confirmed by the government to be safe in China’s Xiamen after disappearing on Thursday last week.
Chen was reported missing from Erdan (二膽), a small islet in Kinmen less than 5km from Xiamen.
Asked if the military was worried that Chen’s presence in China could pose a security risk, Chiu said that the private’s access to confidential information was irrelevant because the military was going to take precautions one way or the other.
“We will make adjustments [concerning troop deployments] as we conduct a regular review of our deployments,” he said.
Despite widespread speculation over what happened and why Chen would leave Erdan, including that he might have fled to escape debts, no clear explanation of the case has been provided.
Asked why Chen left his post, Chiu had little to offer yesterday other than saying an investigation had not found that the soldier had disputes with superior officers before going missing.
Responding to a Reuters report the day before about a sharp increase in British exports of submarine parts to Taiwan, Chiu declined to comment directly, saying that the domestic submarine program faces many difficulties, but is going according to plan.
Additional reporting by Reuters
CALL FOR PEACE: Czech President Petr Pavel raised concerns about China’s military maneuvers in the Taiwan Strait and its ‘unfriendly action’ in the South China Sea The leaders of three diplomatic allies — Guatemala, Paraguay and Palau — on Tuesday voiced support for Taiwan’s inclusion in the UN on the first day of the UN General Debate in New York. In his address during the 78th UN General Assembly, Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr urged the UN and all parties involved in cross-strait issues to exercise restraint and seek a peaceful resolution. “The well-being and prosperity of nations and their economies are intrinsically linked to global peace and stability,” he said. He also thanked partner nations such as Taiwan, Australia, Japan and the US for providing assistance
CROSS-STRAIT CONCERNS: At the same US Congress hearing, Mira Resnick said a US government shutdown could affect weapons sales and licenses to allies such as Taiwan A Chinese blockade of Taiwan would be a “monster risk” for Beijing and likely to fail, while a military invasion would be extremely difficult, senior Pentagon officials told the US Congress on Tuesday. Growing worries of a conflict come as China has ramped up military pressure on Taiwan, holding large-scale war games simulating a blockade on the nation, while conducting near-daily warplane incursions and sending Chinese vessels around its waters. US Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Ely Ratner said a blockade would be “a monster risk for the PRC [People’s Republic of China].” “It would likely not succeed, and it
‘HARASSMENT’: A record 103 Chinese warplanes were detected in 24 hours, posing severe challenges to security in the Taiwan Strait and the region, the ministry said Taiwan yesterday told China to stop its “destructive unilateral actions” after more than 100 Chinese warplanes and nine navy ships were detected in areas around the nation. The Ministry of National Defense (MND) described the number of warplanes detected in 24 hours as a “recent high,” while Beijing has so far refrained from issuing any official comment on the sorties. “Between the morning of September 17th to 18th, the Ministry of National Defense had detected a total of 103 Chinese aircraft, which was a recent high and has posed severe challenges to the security across the Taiwan Strait and in the region,”
IMPORTS: Fifty-four million imported eggs with a value of more than NT$200 million had to be destroyed, mostly because they expired in storage facilities Minister of Agriculture Chen Chi-chung (陳吉仲) last night announced that he would resign from his post. Local media on Sunday reported that Chen had resigned due to controversy over the ministry’s egg import program. Later that same evening, the Executive Yuan said that Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) had asked the minister to stay on to resolve the issue. Chen Chi-chung last night made public his decision to resign on Facebook, saying that this time he would not be dissuaded. Chen Chi-chung earlier yesterday apologized for the furor surrounding the egg import program, but added that misinformation had made the problems worse. The government was
RSS