The military plans to invest NT$6.89 billion (US$215.73 million) to purchase six types of drones to bolster the nation’s asymmetrical combat capabilities, the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday.
Three of the six types of drones fall under the categories “surveillance and reconnaissance,” “land-based surveillance and reconnaissance” and “ship-mounted surveillance and reconnaissance,” while the other three are micro-drones, including “target acquisition” and “tactical” drones, it said.
The ministry said it would acquire the surveillance and reconnaissance drones, while the land and ship drones would be purchased by the navy and the micro-drones would be purchased by the army.
Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times
Procurement of the surveillance and reconnaissance drones and the navy’s ship-mounted drones is estimated to be completed before the end of next year, the ministry said.
The army hopes to obtain all three types of micro-drones by the end of September 2027, it said.
The navy’s land-based drones would be acquired over four years, with the last purchase expected to be made in October 2028, it said.
Taiwan UAV (智飛科技), Coretronic Robotics (中光電), MiTAC Information Technology Corp (神通資訊) and Evergreen Aviation Technologies Corp (EVGA, 長榮航太) obtained the bids for the drones, the ministry said.
Taiwan UAV would focus on the development of land-based reconnaissance and monitoring drones; EVGA would develop ship-based surveillance and reconnaissance drones; Coretronic would develop surveillance and reconnaissance, and micro-drones; and MiTAC would develop micro-drones, as well as a tactical micro-drone, it said.
The tactical micro-drone would cost an additional NT$1.19 billion, the ministry said.
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