The Cabinet is planning to purchase drone jamming guns and set up a “passive radar detection and response system” to deter sabotage and enemy attacks as part of a two-tier defense scheme involving Taiwan Power Co (Taipower, 台電) and CPC Corp, Taiwan (CPC, 台灣中油), a Ministry of Economic Affairs official said during a press event on Saturday.
Taipower and CPC Corp facilities, including nuclear energy plants operated by the former, are listed as Category 1 critical infrastructure, a Cabinet official said, adding that in the wake of China’s incursions into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone, these facilities need enhanced protection.
As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine showed, drones are used by both sides in fighting scenarios to attack and destroy critical infrastructure, therefore the ministry this year approved drone jamming gun procurement, the ministry official said.
Photo courtesy of Taiwan Power Co
Taipower this year approved a more than NT$10 million (US$319,438) budget for the acquisition of the first batch of 60 drone jamming guns, the official said, adding that one to two guns are to be distributed to each Taipower plant and the second batch procurement would be made before next year.
The ministry is also to set up a “passive radar detection and response system” around Taipower and CPC Corp facilities, they said.
The system is already in place for Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, a Taipower official said, adding that it detects unknown flying objects or aircraft a few kilometers away from a power plant or a major electricity grid and tracks the object to find its path.
Each unit is expected to cost about NT$10 million, the Taipower official said.
Lacking any drone jamming guns, the Taichung Power Plant is working with the city’s police department to establish surveillance stations integrated into the “intelligence-gathering system” at the Taichung Harbor, which is linked up with a local security protection network, the ministry official said.
The Taichung Power Plant is located near Taichung Harbor, which is off-limits to drones, the official said, adding that commercial drones using GPS would be rendered useless when intruding into such an off-limits zone.
However, non-commercial drones are difficult to inspect, which is why drone jamming guns are needed for critical infrastructure’s security, they said, adding that it might later be discussed whether critical Taipower and CPC Corp facilities need to be designated as “no drone zones.”
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